The Dallas Mavericks are about to call the bluff of Magic general manager Otis Smith.A day after Smith said that he planned to match any offer for restricted free agent Marcin Gortat, the Mavs brought the Magic's backup center to town, hoping he agrees to their contract offer that he can sign next week.
According to at least one NBA source, the Mavs offer will start with the mid-level exception of $5.6 million, extending it out at least three years.
Gortat, who served as the backup to All-Star center Dwight Howard in just his second NBA season, has seen his value soar this week because of the way he finished during the Magic's playoff run.
He made just over $800,000 this season, averaging only 3.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 12.6 minutes. In his three regular season starts, though, he averaged 10 points, 11.7 rebounds and 3 blocks.
The Magic, who traded away backup Tony Battie to New Jersey as part of the deal to land Vince Carter, had hoped that Gortat would not be offered as much as Dallas is offering.
Because Gortat is a restricted free agent, the Magic still will be able to keep him if they match any offer he receives. He can sign as early as July 8. They will have seven days to match it.
The glaring lack of athletic centers in the league has opened the door for Gortat, the NBA's only player from Poland.
The Magic almost assuredly will be going into luxury tax territory for the first time next season as they try to upgrade their roster. If they match Gortat's contract offer, it will cost them twice the figure in taxes.
"At this point, we're matching everything that comes back to us,'' Smith said Wednesday. "The owner said we can go into tax, so that changes things. Let us see what we're comfortable doing,''
Smith did not immediately return a message to respond to the report about the Dallas offer to Gortat.
Among the teams that have shown an interest in him this week have been the Houston Rockets, New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers. Rockets GM Daryl Morey came to Orlando to visit Gortat on Wednesday.
The Magic had talked with Detroit's Rasheed Wallace on Wednesday, but they have a more realistic chance of signing Dallas power forward Brandon Bass, an unrestricted free agent.
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
the Magic need to do everything they can do to keep this guy. Good backup centers are very hard to find. He filled in for Howard as good as you could ask for. PLEASE MAGIC, KEEP THIS GUY AT ALL COSTS!