Iguodala in Nets’ sights
With a suddenly youthful team, coach Kenny Atkinson and general manager Sean Marks said the Nets will be shopping for veterans. Andre Iguodala is reportedly on that list.
The 33-year-old Iguodala won his second NBA championship ring with Golden State this month, and was a finalist for Sixth Man of the Year. But Brooklyn is among a handful of teams looking to pry the free agent away from the Warriors, according to ESPN.
The Clippers, Jazz, Magic, Sixers, Spurs and Timberwolves also reportedly have interest in Iguodala, whom the Vertical reported last week could command close to $20 million annually. With the Nets having the third-most cap space in the NBA, surely agents will try to engage them in talks to drive up the price on clients.
As far as Marks goes, creating flexibility going into Saturday’s free agency is paramount.
“You position yourself for opportunities that may happen,’’ Marks said. “There’s plenty of these opportunities around the league. Who knows what’s going to happen in the next three weeks? We don’t know. So I think it’s us being strategic, being patient and hopefully capitalizing when we have the opportunity to do so.”
The Nets opted not to use their $3.4 million cash consideration to buy a second-round pick, but they still have until Thursday to use it or lose it. They could spend it in a deal to create space, like packaging it with a player.
“Yeah, I think that goes into having the flexibility again,’’ Marks said.
Free agency starts at 12:01 a.m. ET Saturday. There is a moratorium on signings until noon on July 6, but teams can extend offers to restricted free agents. Yes, the Nets went 0-for-3 there last summer, but that won’t deter them.
“We’re going to keep all our things in our back pocket and we’ll see what happens, whether it’s restricted free agents, free agency or whether it’s capitalizing on some other trades that come up,’’ Marks said. “We’re focused on all of those things. We’re not going to limit ourselves to one.”
Teams have until 11:59 p.m. on July 8 to match offers extended during the moratorium, and 48 hours to match offers extended after the moratorium.
They’ve been connected to unrestricted free agent
J.J. Redick — who has a condo in DUMBO — and restricted free agents such as Washington’s Otto Por
ter, Detroit’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Utah’s Joe Ingles and Boston’s Kelly Olynyk. The Celtics might have to renounce the Olynyk’s $7.7 million cap hold if they plan to chase max-salary free agents.
“We’ve never looked at it like we have to have this particular position,’’ said Marks. “We’re still trying to get best available and so forth — talent acquisition.”