According to AOL FanHouse, the San Antonio Spurs have expressed interest in Utah Jazz free-agent, Wesley Matthews:

Sources said Portland, San Antonio, the Lakers and Milwaukee are among teams that have called so far to express interest in Matthews.

Matthews averaged 9.4 points during the regular season and averaged 13.2 points in the playoffs for the Jazz.

San Antonio Spurs' assistant coach, Don Newman, took part in the 2010 Basketball Without Borders Asia camp which was sponsored by the NBA. Newman coached the White Team in the All-Star game beating the Red Team, coached by former NBA player Bob McAdoo.

In the end, the White Team led by Don Newman (San Antonio Spurs) and Bob McAdoo (Miami Heat) claimed victory over the Red Team, winning 70-58. The teams were locked until the final quarter when the White Team took the initiative to build an unassailable lead.

Also taking part in the camp as coaches were Al Horford of the Atlanta Hawks, and Taj Gibson of the Chicago Bulls.

San Antonio Spurs' fans were shocked when Richard Jefferson opted out of his contract which would have paid him $15.2 million dollars . . . guaranteed!

Perhaps now we know the reason why Jefferson did.

(picture from docfunk.blogspot.com)

With their second round selection in the 2010 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs drafted Ryan Richards. A 7'0" big man out of England. Fulfilling a well-known expectation of the Spurs to draft overseas players, Spurs' G.M. R.C. Buford and company chose a relatively unknown commodity by selecting Richards. Though unproven, it seems many of the experts like what they see.

Richards hasn't played much professional basketball in Europe. At 19, his resume includes two years in a Spanish amateur league, a year of professional basketball in Belgium, and six games with BBC Monthey in Switzerland. In those six games he averaged slightly more than 13 points per game on 56 % field goal shooting and, get ready for this Spurs fans, 91.3% from the free-throw line.

Here is how one NBA scout, according to SI.com, described him: "He's played in Europe, but not with the big boys."

I doubt the Swiss would argue with such an assessment.

He is left-handed with a reach of over nine feet. He has shown the ability to shoot with both hands, but has very little lower block presence for a big man. He has been most effectively utilized as a power forward in pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop situations and has the ability to face up with big men on the perimeter a la Chris Bosh or Amar'e Stoudemire. He has impressed in pre-draft camps and workouts with a style that is unlike most big men in the NBA.

Still, there are concerns. He is young (19 years old) and has very little experience. He does not bang around inside, bringing into question his defensive capabilities in a much more aggressive and physical NBA style of play.

There are also durability questions.

His most recent season was cut short due to a season-ending shoulder injury and he was knocked out of pre-draft camp early after banging knees with a player. Richards has this to say about his shoulder:

It is fine," Richards said. "I saw four or five specialists who said no surgery, three months rehab, so I am still actually doing the rehab now just waiting for the draft to finish so I can really get in the gym. I don't want to work out too much than tire my body out and then get in the gym for these workouts."

Reassuring, somewhat.

By all accounts, his draft stock rose substantially after his performance at the 2010 NBA Draft Combine in Chicago. There is no question that many NBA scouts see Richards as a player with an enormous amount of potential if he is developed in the right system and I don't think anyone would question Pop's ability to develop unknown players into successful NBA stars. No doubt the eyes of England will be upon him and the Spurs as he makes this transition.

Still can a 19-year old from the amateur leagues of Europe with a history of injury problems possibly be ready for NBA basketball? Richards seems to think so:

He definitely brings the confidence. Who does Richards think he best compares to? Only Lamar Odom and Chris Bosh. I hope he's right.

One area which was lacking during the San Antonio Spurs' 2010 season was reliable shooting. Now with free-agency fully underway, it seems the Spurs are attempting to address this need.

According to the deseretnews.com, the Spurs are interested in Utah Jazz free-agent Kyle Korver:

New Jersey and San Antonio also are thought to have interest in Korver, an unrestricted free agent who was Matthews' backup and the NBA's leading 3-point shooter last season.

If the report is true, the question now becomes, how much will the Spurs offer Korver knowing they are financially strapped? Spurs fans know the Spurs seem to have committed the MLE to Tiago Splitter should he decide to come to the NBA and play for the Spurs.

With the NBA free-agency period underway, San Antonio Spurs' forward, Richard Jefferson, made news when he decided to opt out of his final contract year which would have paid him a guaranteed $15.2 million dollars.

Now with Jefferson being a free-agent, I turned to San Antonio's News 4 WOAI's sports reporter, Humberto "Humbie" Cervera, to get his views on Jefferson opting out and the other Spurs' free-agents.

(JEFF) You first reaction when you heard the news Richard Jefferson opted out of his final contract year which would have paid him a guaranteed 15.2 million dollars.

(HUMBIE) I was very excited that it was going down, then after doing a little research I saw it wouldn't give the Spurs cap space. So it would've been better to see him stay and get traded instead.

Do you think his decision to opt out was partly due to his mediocre performance in his first season with the Spurs?

It's just like anything else in the league, it's all about the money. He thinks he can make more with a multi-year deal than the last $15 mil he has left.

Jefferson is a free-agent now and can sign with another team. Should the Spurs re-sign him to avoid him going to a power team in the NBA which could haunt the Spurs later?

If they resign him it won't be to keep him from somewhere else. They'll do it because they feel he's the best fit for them in their situation OR they have a trade set up.

If the Spurs do re-sign him, don't you think his true value will be measured next season after having a complete season under his belt with the Spurs' system?

I think we've seen his true value in this system already. I don't think next year will bring a lot of surprises out of his game in a Spurs' uni.

Should the Spurs re-sign Jefferson and if they do, is that a sign of a sign-and-trade in the works?

If there is a sign and trade deal in place then the Spurs should do it. If this is what they're trying to do... I have no idea. This summer has been crazy from them and I don't even want to begin to make predictions of what they're doing.

Your thoughts on the other Spurs' free agents -- Roger Mason, Ian Mahinmi, Keith Bogans, and Matt Bonner. Who will be returning?

I'm thinking its just going to be Matt Bonner. The shooting 4 position has been very important to the Spurs' success and Bonner is the best they can get with their limited resources.

Thanks to Humbie for taking time to be a part of this Q&A. Check out his blog and catch him, along with a familiar face here at Project Spurs, on the latest WOAI Sports Roundtable.

With only hours until free agency began and questions of the future of LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade, and Dirk Nowitzki swirling in the heads of NBA reporters and fans alike, San Antonio Spurs' forward, Richard Jefferson, managed to steal the news cycle last night, on more than one occasion. 

With the news breaking that Jefferson would be opting out of his contract, you could almost hear the corks popping off the champagne bottles across the River City.

However, later in the evening, just as the fuss over the first bit of breaking news was winding down, it was reported by Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter) who said Jefferson and the Spurs would probably ink a new deal and in all likelihood be remaining with the silver and black.

Put those corks back in Spurs fans. But only for a moment.

The buzz in the city and across the NBA insider circles last night was how could Jefferson be so stupid?  His contract guaranteed him $15.2 million next year and, after a performance last year that would have left Darko Milicic underwhelmed, who in their right mind would come close to paying him that much money?  Well it turns out Jefferson may not be as crazy as we thought.

Sources say the contract Jefferson would likely sign with the Spurs would be a longer term deal, at a annual salary that would bring the Spurs back under the luxury tax threshold. It might also guarantee him more than $15.2 million over the term of the contract.

It is a win-win for the Spurs and Jefferson. Both have more options now than they would have if Jefferson had not opted out. The Spurs can now decide if they even want to re-sign him and, if so, at what price. This also gives the Spurs the option of a sign-and-trade scenario should there be a living soul who wants Jefferson besides Pop.

For Jefferson, it gives him the ability to shop himself on the free-agent market, to see if there is any chance of him receiving a better deal or finding a team that may be a better fit for him. For example, today there was a report he would prefer to go to the New York Knicks or the New Jersey Nets not only for the long-term contract he is seeking but because he feels his style of play does not mesh well with the Spurs.

With the uncertainty surrounding the collective bargaining agreement that expires next year, it may be his only chance to ensure his future under the current rules of the road.  Jefferson's agent described the decision like this:

“It's an opportunity for him to look at free agency under rules and guidelines that we know and a salary cap structure that we know,” Eley said. “You can play next year and then enter a market you may not be comfortable with, or know. I think this allows Richard a lot of options to pursue now that make sense for him.”

Make no mistake, this is a gamble for Jefferson.  He is taking the chance the Spurs are not willing to re-sign him or, if they are, they offer him a much smaller contract but at a longer term. At the same time it is hard to imagine his market value is very high after one of the worst seasons of his career. With free agency fever sweeping the NBA though, it is not entirely surprising that Jefferson and his agent would take a chance.

While it is hard to argue that Jefferson provided much value to the team in his first season, this move is very good for the Spurs. Should they decide to re-sign him, it will be on their terms with the advantage of knowing exactly what he offers the team. He will be paid for his current performance instead of a bloated contract based on his past performance and he will be more tradable if he is signed at a lower dollar amount.

This summer just got even more interesting.

According to Yahoo! Sports, San Antonio Spurs' free-agent, Richard Jefferson, does not have a deal to return to the Spurs and would prefer to sign with the New York Knicks or the New Jersey Nets:

Richard Jefferson doesn’t have a deal with the San Antonio Spurs and would prefer to return to the New York area to play for the Knicks or Nets, league sources told Y! Sports.

Jefferson is seeking a multiyear contract that averages in the range of $8 million-$10 million, sources said. He opted out of the $15 million final season of his contract with the Spurs on Tuesday.

Jefferson has built a good relationship with Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, but doesn’t think the team’s system best fits his skills.

Should Jefferson leave, this would leave a hole at the small-forward position for the team and if he does sign with the Knicks or Nets, the Spurs will be seeking someone fill the spot.

There was a report the Spurs are interested in free-agent Anthony Morrow of the Golden State Warriors and Orlando Magic free-agent Matt Barnes mentioned he still feel the Spurs were interested in him.

Perhaps the team is already looking for a replacement for Jefferson?

San Antonio Spurs' free-agent, Matt Bonner, has been contacted by the team and has been told the Spurs want him to come back next season according to his agent Kenny Grant:

The Spurs have called free-agent forward-center Matt Bonner to re-iterate their desire to bring him back.

"The Spurs called last night," Bonner's agent, Kenny Grant said this afternoon. "I think they're interested. Hopefully, it works out." (source Express-News)

According to the report, the Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks and the Denver Nuggets have contacted Bonner.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, the Timberwolves signing of Nikola Pekovic to a three year, $13 million contract may have ruined the Spurs plans to sign Splitter and have money left over for another player, all with the midlevel exception.

There were undoubtedly some eyes rolling into the backs of heads in the Spurs’ front office with the Minnesota Timberwolves close to an agreement with European center Nikola Pekovic on a three-year, $13 million contract. The Spurs are negotiating to bring over 2008 first-round pick Tiago Splitter this summer, and Pekovic’s deal promises to elevate Splitter’s leverage.

That second free agent very well could be Golden State's Anthony Morrow, who Wojnarowski says attracted several suitors, including San Antonio.

The 6-5 Morrow averaged 13 points per game with the Warriors last season. The Spurs could see him as more outside shooting help, which they desperately needed against the Suns in the playoffs, and Morrow shot an impressive 45 percent from beyond the arc last season.