Houston Rockets security guard Victor Oladipo recently turned down a $ 45.2 million two-year contract extension, the maximum the franchise could offer him before the summer, sources told ESPN.
As expected, Oladipo is aiming for a longer-term deal, sources said, something the collective bargaining agreement won’t allow the Rockets to offer until the off-season.
Oladipo is in the final year of a four-year $ 85 million contract, requiring the Rockets to make decisions before the March 25 trade deadline – including whether they will make it available in trade negotiations. The transitional state of the Rockets roster makes it likely that they will listen to advances as they continue to get to know Oladipo – and he’s getting to know them – since the mid-January exchange that brought him from Indiana as part of the James Harden blockbuster hit.
For the Rockets, amid a post-Harden and Russell Westbrook era, there are a number of options with Oladipo, including weighing its value in the market for transaction deadlines, committing to aggressively pursuing a long-term deal over the summer, together regain value with Oladipo in low season sign-and-trade conversations or let him run to use the cap space on other players in free agency
Typically, teams become more focused on pursuing transactions closer to the deadline, which is still a little less than four weeks away. Houston has yet to engage with teams about trade talks involving Oladipo, sources said.
Nonetheless, Oladipo, 28, has the chance to become one of the best two-way players available on the trading deadline or free agency. Miami and New York are among the teams that have taken an interest in Oladipo, and both have the salary cap to sign him right away in the summer.
Before the start of the free service, Houston could allow him an extension of as much as four years, $ 113 million; once free agency comes up, Houston can offer up to four years, $ 151 million or five years, $ 195 million.
Oladipo has averaged 18.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists this season in 13 games with the Rockets. For his nine-year career, including stops at Orlando, Oklahoma City and Indiana, he averaged 17.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists. Oladipo has also shown that he can be a top defender.
Front office insider Bobby Marks contributed to this report.