NBA Free Agency 2013: Nikola Peckovic, Tyreke Evans among restricted free agents
A closer look at the top unrestricted free agents of the 2013 class.
By Kris Willis@Kris_Willis May 14, 2013, 12:00pm EDT
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The 2013 NBA free agent class has been cast as an unexciting group but there are some good options available especially among the restricted free agents. The problem for teams like the Atlanta Hawks is that teams often have to overpay or get creative to deter current teams from matching offers made to their restricted free agents. Because of that often restricted free agents don't find the same type of interest as they do once they are on the open market. Still there are a few big names that will garner a lot of interest this summer.
Nikola Pekovic
Pekovic is a 7-foot, 300 pound monster that would make a ton of sense for a team like the Hawks that want to get bigger and would like to move Al Horford from center to power forward. Although he might not be the greatest rebounder for that size he still finished with averages of 16.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game this season. I expect him to garner a lot of interest and maybe even a max offer but don't see how Minnesota can afford to let him get away.
Tiago Splitter
Splitter is a player that unlike Pekovic could possibly be had depending on how high the bidding goes. He makes $3.9 million this season but without a lot of big man options this summer he stands to make much more than that next season. He is rumored to be on both the Hawks and the Mavericks shortlists.
Wants a max deal and thinks of himself as a big market star. With limited options this summer he may very well chance it and take the qualifying offer to garner unrestricted free agency next season.
Jeff Teague
I was going to separate Teague into another post with the other Hawks players that are free agents but he will be one of the top unrestricted options this summer. Barring Chris Paul showing some interest in Atlanta, it looks like the Hawks need to bring back Teague but the price tag will likely determine whether that happens. Some of Teague's peers signed extensions before the season with Ty Lawson checking in at $12 million per and Jrue Holiday at just over $10 million. Teague figures to be just under that but should a team strike out on Jennings they could put the Hawks in a precarious spot by offering Teague a large deal.
Sekou Smith thinks that taking the qualifying offer is an option for Teague but I don't really understand why he would go that route since he isn't likely to garner bigger offers next season.
Tyreke Evans
Evans burst onto the scene as a rookie while playing point guard and putting up 20 points, five rebounds and five assists per night. He battled injuries over the next two seasons and was moved off the point and into more of a wing player where he hasn't been as effective. With things in flux in Sacramento, Evans is one of those players that could move if given a big offer. Again the Hawks and the Mavericks are two of the teams with the cap space to make such a play for Evans.
ATL and 29: High five