LAS VEGAS _ Nets general manager Sean Marks made a value judgment when he chose to make a max four-year offer worth $106.5 million to restricted free agent small forward Otto Porter, knowing the Wizards were adamant about matching it. He could have gone after Kentavious Caldwell-Pope because the hard-capped Pistons were unable to match.
That decision might come back to hurt Marks. After reportedly trading with Boston to acquire guard Avery Bradley on Friday, the Pistons will reportedly renounce the rights to Caldwell-Pope, making the 6-5 wing an unrestricted free agent. He might not have been worth a max RFA offer, but in the estimation of ESPN commentator Bobby Marks, Caldwell-Pope "now becomes the top unrestricted free agent on the market."
Porter's signing of the Nets' offer sheet became official on Thursday, so the Nets can't rescind an offer that reportedly ties up $24.77 million of their salary cap space, which is down to a little more than $5 million now. Although matching the Nets' offer will put the Wizards over the luxury tax line for the first time in their history, an NBA source told Newsday they will match.
The Wizards have until 11:59 p.m. Saturday night to match, but if they make it contingent on Porter reporting and passing a physical exam, they can tie up the Nets' salary cap space at least until Tuesday and possibly as late as Wednesday. There is sure to be a bull market for Caldwell-Pope, and it is unlikely he will wait to see what happens with the Nets, who have serious interest in pursuing him, especially after they made Porter a priority.
Noting that Marks had struck out on three previous attempts to sign restricted free agents, the NBA source said of the Porter offer, "It's not a smart play on their part. They should have gone after Caldwell-Pope because Detroit can't match. Why not go after unrestricted free agents?"
The Nets included some wrinkles in the offer sheet that might give the Wizards pause, including a 15 percent trade kicker and a fourth-year player option. Porter also can veto any trade the first year, and 50 percent of his annual salary must be advanced by Oct. 1. The Nets' best hope might be for Wizards star John Wall to tell management he will leave as a free agent in a year if they make Porter the team's highest-paid player.
But if the Wizards match, the Nets not only don't get their man, but Plan B likely is out the window, too.
