The singings and real movement in the NBA is finally going to happen. It moratorium is expected to be pulled on Tuesday and then it is down to business.
Here is what to watch for this week from a Sonics standpoint.
Today, Vlady Radmanovic and his agent, Dave Bauman, will be in town and meeting the Sonics brass. The Sonics currently have a 6 year 39 million dollar deal on the table. The two sides will try to reach a common ground to sign a long term deal. If not Radmanovic will be forced to sign the 1 year tender agreement at 3.2 million dollars. Bauman has said if that is what they are forced to do it is a sign that Radmanoivc’s Sonics career will be over at the end of the year. He says it would show a lack of faith in his client from the Sonics.
Also on Tuesday the not so mystery suitor of Damien Wilkins may be revealed. The Sonics are hoping to keep Wilkins by using a portion of their mid-level exception. According to sources Wilkins turned down a $16 million offer from the Portland Trailblazers. I talked with his agent Mark Bartlestein today and he said, “There are a few teams involved, I don’t want to comment on specifics, because there are still a lot of ways this can go.”
On Wednesday, the Sonics will announce the signing that was the key to the off-season. Ray Allen will hold his press conference and the Sonics will have their franchise piece in tack for 5 years at nearly 80 million dollars.
Flip Murray is a bit of a wild card. The Sonics are planning on signing Murray while his camp is desperately attempting to set his market value by receiving an offer sheet. However, no teams are willing to have their money tied up for 7 days on an offer sheet.
I don’t anticipate much on the Reggie Evans front. Everything sounds like that will linger all the way into September. There is a good chance that Evans is left with the one year tender.
The Sonics will continue discussions with Vitaly Potapenko about returning to Seattle. The advantage of Potapenko is the Sonics don’t have to use any of their mid-level exception.
Lastly, the fringe signing will be the keys for the Sonics. The Sonics have spotlighted various players that they anticipate to slip through the market and could become available very much the way Jerome James did 5 years ago and Antonio Daniels did 2 years ago.