Houston Rockets owner Victor Oladipo recently declined a maximum contract extension of two years and $ 45.2 million, the maximum the franchise could offer him before the free summer agency, sources told ESPN.
As expected, Oladipo is looking for a long-term deal, the sources said, something that the collective bargaining agreement does not allow the Rockets to offer him until the off-season.
Oladipo is in the final year of a four-year, $ 85 million contract, which leaves the Rockets with decisions to be made before the March 25 deadline – including whether they will make it available in trade negotiations. The transitional state of the Rockets’ list makes it likely that they will hear openings as they continue to meet Oladipo – and he gets to know them – since the mid-January trade that brought him from Indiana as part of James Harden’s Blockbuster.
For the Rockets, in the midst of a post-Harden and Russel Westbrook era, there are a number of options with Oladipo, including weighing their value in the trading term market, committing themselves to aggressively seeking a long-term deal in the summer, working with Oladipo to get value back in the subscription and exchange negotiations during the off-season or let him use the maximum space for other players in the free agency.
It is normal for teams to become more focused on seeking negotiations closer to the deadline, which is still a little less than four weeks. Houston has not yet been involved with the teams in trade negotiations involving Oladipo, the sources said.
However, Oladipo, 28, has a chance to become one of the best two-way players available within the free negotiation or agency deadline. Miami and New York are among the teams that became interested in Oladipo, and both have room for the salary cap to hire him in the summer.
Prior to the start of the free agency, Houston could allow it an extension of up to four years and $ 113 million; once the free agency comes, Houston can offer up to four years, $ 151 million, or five years, $ 195 million.
Oladipo has averaged 18.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 13 games with the Rockets this season. In his nine-year career, including stops in Orlando, Oklahoma City and Indiana, he averaged 17.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists. Oladipo also demonstrated his ability to be a top defender.
Front office insider Bobby Marks contributed to this report.