J.R. Smith's summer options
Monday, May 5 at 12:24 AM
CHRIS TOMASSON ON THE NUGGETS

The Nuggets want J.R. Smith back.

Smith wants to return.Does that mean it will be an easy negotiation when the shooting guard becomes a restricted free agent July 1? Not necessarily. Smith, you see, doesn't have to sign any deal this summer that he doesn't like. Smith, who made $2.14 million in 2007-08, has the option of accepting a $3.04 million qualifying offer and becoming an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2009.

After a strong second half of the season and a fine playoff series, Smith's value in free agency is higher than anybody would have projected several months ago. So it's possible he could land an offer sheet starting at around the midlevel exception of about $5.5 million, which the Nuggets would have seven days to match. Then again, a team might be reluctant to hand out such an offer, thinking the Nuggets quickly would match. And it might be tough for a team, with money tight in the NBA and with Smith still not having proved his worth long term, to offer more than the midlevel.

That brings us to the Nuggets. If they offer a deal around the midlevel, that might be able to get it done unless Smith's representatives really want to play hardball.

But if the Nuggets are thinking more in the $4-5 million range as a starting salary, that could make for a tough negotiation. There might not be any reason for Smith to lock himself into a long-term deal starting in the $4-5 million range as opposed to coming back for the $3.04 million qualifying offer and possibly cashing in as an unrestricted free agent in 2009. Stay tuned. It could be an interesting negotiation, one that could drag into September if the luxury-tax strapped Nuggets don't put a competitive offer immediately on the table.

Posted by nyballer:

i never understood this...does anything happen if we extend the MLE and the nuggets match? If not, I don't understand why teams would be reluctant to offer it - best case scenario, if they think he's worth it, then they sign him. worst case scenario nuggets match, but you still have your MLE...right?