Tobias Harris was a restricted free agent this summer, before reportedly agreeing to a four-year deal worth $64 million to remain with the Magic.
Because of that restricted status, which meant that Orlando could retain Harris by simply matching any offer he received, there weren’t a ton of teams outwardly clamoring for his services.
But he did have at least one lucrative offer to play somewhere else.
Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders:
A representative for the Kings called us to firmly deny that any offer was made.
If you trust the national reports , this marks the third player to durn down more money in Sacramento than they ended up with on their new deals with different teams: Monta Ellis took less to play for the Pacers (which the Kings also deny), while Wesley Matthews did the same to join the Mavericks.
It isn’t difficult to figure out why.
The Kings are a mess right now, a directionless franchise that frequently changes course seemingly on the whims of its owner. We had three different head coaches in Sacramento last season, a redistribution of decision-making power in the front office, a flirtation with yet another change there, and the current coach shopping around the franchise player in trade scenarios by contacting other teams.
Sacramento can try to throw money at its many problems. But until things calm down there a little, and a long-term plan is put into place, players are going to continue to be wary of signing up to play there willingly -- and justifiably so.
