The Los Angeles Clippers agreed to a two-year, $12.3 million deal with European point guard Milos Teodosic. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Teodosic’s deal has a player option in the second year of the deal. Earlier, it was reported that Teodosic wanted a three-year deal worth $25 million to $30 million but eventually settled for a lesser amount with the Clippers.
The Miami Heat, Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz, Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls, and Minnesota Timberwolves also expressed interest in the 30-year-old Teodosic, considered one of the top players outside the NBA.
The Nets considered offering Teodosic more money but changed their mind because of his poor defense. Teodosic averaged 16.1 points and 6.5 assists in the past two seasons with CSKA Moscow in the Euroleague.
With Teodosic’s signing, the Clippers may not pursue Derrick Rose, who met with the team Wednesday. Aside from Teodosic, the Clippers have Patrick Beverley and Lou Williams as guards on the roster.
Clippers acquire Danilo Gallinari from Nuggets
The Clippers acquired free-agent forward Danilo Gallinari via a three-team deal with the Denver Nuggets and the Atlanta Hawks. The Nuggets signed Gallinari to a three-year, $65 million contract, then traded him to the Clippers, who shipped Jamal Crawford, Diamond Stone, and a 2018 first-round pick to the Hawks.
The Nuggets will get a 2019 second-round pick from the Hawks.
The 28-year-old Gallinari will join Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan in the Clippers’ frontcourt as another option on offense. Last season, Gallinari averaged 18.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists for the Nuggets. The Clippers are now retooling their lineup after they traded point guard Chris Paul to the Houston Rockets.
Clippers to add big man Willie Reed?
David Aldridge of TNT reported that the Clippers are interested in adding center Willie Reed, who played 71 games for the Miami Heat last season. In his second year, Reed averaged 5.3 points and 4.7 boards as a backup to Hassan Whiteside. Reed opted out of the second year of his deal with the Heat to test the free-agent market.
The 27-year-old Reed saw action in 39 games for the Brooklyn Nets during the 2015-16 season before signing a two-year deal worth $2.1 million with the Heat.
The Clippers initially targeted veteran power forward Zach Randolph, who signed a two-year deal with the Sacramento Kings. The Golden State Warriors are also interested in Reed.
