Gortat makes verbal commitment to Dallas

[TimmyDthaWay2B]

espn.com


Restricted free-agent center Marcin Gortat was scheduled to fly to Dallas on Thursday after giving the Mavericks a verbal commitment to sign an offer sheet with them next week, according to NBA front-office sources.




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Sources told ESPN.com that the Mavericks are bringing Gortat to town to tour the area and the team's facilities after extending him an offer believed to be worth Dallas' full mid-level exception -- which could translate to a five-year deal starting at roughly $5.6 million -- in hopes of dissuading the Orlando Magic from matching the offer.

Gortat averaged just 3.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game last season and 3.3 points and 3.2 rebounds during the Magic's run to the NBA Finals, but his opportunities in Orlando were limited behind All-Star center Dwight Howard.

Since free agency commenced at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, Gortat has received strong interest from the other two Texas teams (Houston and San Antonio) as well as Atlanta, Cleveland, Indiana and Oklahoma City, sources said.

Orlando will have seven days to match any offer sheet Gortat signs next Wednesday, which is the first day free agents are allowed to sign new contracts. The Magic have stressed their intent to match offers for the 6-foot-11 native of Poland but doing so would almost certainly send them well into luxury-tax territory.

Marc Stein is a senior NBA writer for ESPN.com.

[SleepyAdamII]

Bring on ZaZa!

[TRslick81]

dun dun dun and another one bites the dust

now look for dallas to package dampier and stackhouse for another piece

[mpgraphix]

what a shock...dallas is overpaying another big man!

[BoerneAg54]

Sucks we won't get him, but seeing this contract next to his stats makes me glad we didn't pay him that much.

[spurs fan removed]

no kidding people here were crying for the "polish hammer" with stats like that he's more of a "polish sausage".

[mpgraphix]

can't believe cuban & folks couldn't make a run on artest...do they really think gortat will get them anywhere?

[LAsucksForever]

Congratulations, Mavwrecks. You just got yourself a whiter and modestly cheaper version of Erick Dampier's contract.

[GM5K]

he only played 12 minutes a game last season. that's important to look at when examining his stats.

he'd be close to 10 boards a game with the right minutes.

[Guille]

Does this mean we get Oberto back? or what other Big is around for us?

[pessimist]

I liked Gortat. I think he would have fit in well here. I think this was a case of Cuban getting him -- just so we wouldn't.

[ALSPURS]

I did NOT want the MLE spent on Gortat....I am happy...

[grizzly_bexar]

Mark Cuban loves him some overpaid centers.

[nbahoops21]

Originally Posted by spurs fan removed

no kidding people here were crying for the "polish hammer" with stats like that he's more of a "polish sausage".

[Rzarector7]

Originally Posted by pessimist

I liked Gortat. I think he would have fit in well here. I think this was a case of Cuban getting him -- just so we wouldn't.

He wasn't optin A or B here, it won't change the fact that we are better than Dallas.