There have already been several reports about the San Antonio Spurs currently working to negotiate a new deal with free agent Tim Duncan, but nothing has yet been reported about Boris Diaw and restricted free agent Patty Mills.
Well now according to Sports Illustrated’s Sam Amick, he has sources who are telling him the Spurs are confident they will be able to re-sign Duncan, Diaw, and Mills in the near future (H/T Air Alamo).
If you recall, the Spurs have already extended a qualifying offer to Mills after he opted out of his contract to become a free agent. There’s been nothing said about Diaw except that he left his belongings in Tony Parker’s San Antonio home before he left for France to train with the French National team.
Both Mills and Diaw are training for the 2012 London Games, but stateside, Project Spurs has yet to hear of any chatter about other teams targeting the two players.
Though no team has publicly inquired about Diaw or Mills, you can expect the mid-level players to start getting phone calls in pretty soon as Ken Berger of CBSSports.com tweeted late Monday evening.
After flurry out of the free-agent gate, agents beginning to see things dry up for second-tier players. “It’s ground to a halt,” said one. Players expecting full mid-level deals are now getting 1- and 2-year offers, agents say. “The money is drying up,” said one.
For Diaw and Mills this could mean they may not be getting the types of deals they were originally looking for heading into free agency, so re-signing in San Antonio might still be their best option. After being bought out by the Charlotte Bobcats, one would assume Diaw isn’t necessarily looking for a big payday, but instead the chance to win an NBA title. San Antonio seems like the favorite as he’s playing with longtime friend Parker, and the Spurs’ system suits him really well.
Mills is still young and could get a big offer from any teams desperatley needing a point guard, like the Houston Rockets or Dallas Mavericks, but as of right now, no one has publicly been looking at the Australian guard.
It’ll be interesting to see if Diaw and Mills join Green and eventually Duncan, by continuing to dawn the silver and black next season.
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