Victor Oladipo, guard of the Houston Rockets, recently turned down a maximum contract extension for two years and $ 45.2 million, the maximum the franchise could offer him before the summer free agency, sources told ESPN .
As expected, Oladipo is pursuing a long-term deal, which the collective bargaining agreement allows the Rockets to offer until the offseason.
Oladipo is in the final year of a four- and $ 85 million contract, leaving the Rockets with several decisions to make before the March 25 change deadline, including whether they will put the guard on hold. in negotiations for some exchange.
The transitional state of the Rockets’ roster makes it likely that the team will hear offers, as they get to know Oladipo better and he knows he is more familiar with the franchise, which he arrived in mid-January from Indiana as part of the change by James Harden.
For the Rockets, after the James Harden and Russell Westbrook era, there are several options with Oladipo, including assessing their value in the foreign exchange market, from committing to reaching a long-term deal in the summer, working with Oladipo to get value in return for signature and exchange talks in the offseason or let him go to use the space in the salary cap to hire other players in free agency.
It is typical for teams to focus more on looking for exchanges near the deadline, which is still just under a month away.
Oladipo, 28, has a chance to become one of the best players available on the change date or free agency. Miami and New York are among the teams that have shown interest in Oladipo and both have space in the salary cap to hire him in the summer.
Prior to the start of the free agency, Houston could offer the guard an extension for four years and $ 131 million. When the free agency period begins, the Rockets can offer him up to four years for $ 151 million or five seasons for $ 195 million.
Oladipo, who has shown ability to be an elite defender, has averaged 18.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 13 games with lso Rocket. In his nine years in the NBA, which includes stops with Orlando, Oklahoma City and Indiana, he averaged 17.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists.
Bobby Marks, a board insider, contributed to this report.