The Nets lost Kenyon Martin. They don’t want to lose Richard Jefferson.
So yesterday, on the first day they were allowed to, the Nets began talks with Jefferson’s camp about signing the forward to a contract extension.
“I had a conversation with Richard’s agent, Todd Eley,” said Nets CEO Rod Thorn. “It was a very cordial, preliminary type of discussion.”
The Nets last year offered Martin a less-than-maximum contract extension and he turned it down and eventually left via trade with an offer from the Nuggets that the Nets felt they could not match because of possible luxury tax issues. So, do they want to make the same mistake with Jefferson, or do they want to show Jason Kidd and fans they intend to stay competitive?
One source said the Nets would offer Jefferson a max extension, worth $85 million, while another said the team would like go for less, around $70-75M.
They went that way last year and it ended in a nightmare.
Additionally, Thorn denied a report in Florida that both the Nets and Heat had interest in free agent Charlie Ward.
“Not at this time,” Thorn said.