This year’s NBA free agency period is only three days old, and rumors and half bits of information have scattered across Twitter timelines. The case of the New York Knicks and free agent big man Robin Lopez involves multiple moving parts, specifically the future of DeAndre Jordan and the recent breaking news about Wesley Matthews. We’ll explain.
Marc Stein of ESPN reports Lopez has agreed to terms with the Knicks, so long as DeAndre Jordan does not sign sign there.
Source close to talks says Robin Lopez has COMMITTED to join Knicks and will do so … UNLESS DeAndre Jordan chooses Knicks
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) July 3, 2015
The deal, should it happen, would pay Lopez $12-13 million per season, and there’s no word on the length yet, but we’re guessing a two- or three-year deal with a player option before the final season, the de facto contract length this summer with the impending cap hike.
Yahoo Source: After Clippers meeting, DeAndre Jordan remains "truly 50-50" and "torn" on choice between Mavs and Clippers. Decision looms.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 3, 2015
Jordan, it seems, is torn between the Clippers and the Mavs, even after meeting with Clippers coach and GM Doc Rivers, owner Steve Ballmer, and president of business operations, Gillian Zucker.
Yahoo Source: After Clippers meeting, DeAndre Jordan remains "truly 50-50" and "torn" on choice between Mavs and Clippers. Decision looms.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 3, 2015
Yahoo Sources: Clippers meeting with free agent DeAndre Jordan includes Doc Rivers, Steve Ballmer and Gillian Zucker. No players.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 3, 2015
So why would Lopez even add DJ’s involvement as a roadblock to officially agreeing with the Knicks? Because they’re still in the market for DJ, as are the Lakers, as Arash Markazi of ESPN tweets.
The Clippers and Mavericks are the favorites to land Jordan but I'm told the Lakers and Knicks haven't been ruled out.
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) July 3, 2015
Affecting Jordan, though, is the news this morning Wes has given the Mavs a verbal four-year agreement, as first reported by NBA.com analyst David Aldridge.
Wes Matthews has agreed in principle with the Mavericks on a four-year deal, per source. Turned down huge offer from Sacramento.
— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) July 3, 2015
We’ll have more on Matthews in a second, but his decision to join Dallas might mean DJ is next, or it’ll mean he’s going back to Los Angeles with the Clippers. The first scenario is more likely, since it makes the Mavs a more attractive competitive landing spot in the brutal Western Conference. We’ll let you know when he does decide, since it’ll likely be a big domino this free agency season.
