It appears that Richard Jefferson won’t be out of work in the NBA for very long. The former Cleveland Cavalier and technically former Atlanta Hawk will get to pick his playing future when the time comes.
Jefferson was traded to the Atlanta Hawks on Friday and promptly put on waivers , helping Cleveland get some cap relief and giving the Hawks some European draft rights. Everybody got nice on the deal except Jefferson, who lost a job and maybe a podcast in the process.
We later learned that his departure from Cleveland could have happened much sooner if former Cavaliers general manager David Griffin had his way, as he got into hot water with the franchise for showing off the team’s championship rings early on Snapchat last summer.
But it appears that he will have a few options to pick from when he officially clears waivers on Monday evening. ESPN reported that a number of teams will come calling once he becomes a free agent, including the Nuggets and Bucks.
Jefferson is expected to clear waivers at 5 p.m. ET Monday and become an unrestricted free agent.
Denver has registered its interest in Jefferson, 37, although Milwaukee remains the most aggressive in its recruitment of him, league sources said. There are believed to be three or four teams serious about signing Jefferson, league sources told ESPN.
Denver is an interesting choice, considering they’d have to make room for Jefferson on the roster, as they currently have 15 guaranteed contracts on the payroll. As ESPN notes, however, he is friends with Nuggets team president Josh Kroenke, which could factor into his decision.
Both destinations are intriguing, though there’s no indication of how much playing time Jefferson would get with either team. That would likely be a factor, as the 37-year-old is certainly nearing the end of his time in the league. Jefferson signing with a new team will likely happen pretty quickly, though given the season itself is just days away.
