FORWARD THINKING: The Nets secured an important part of their team by agreeing to re-sign Andray Blatch, who is expected to back up newly-acquired Kevin Garnett next season. (AFP/Getty Images)
The Nets continued their busy offseason on the opening day of free agency, coming to an agreement to re-sign Andray Blatche to a one-year, $1.4 million deal.
Retaining Blatche, which won’t be official until July 10, was crucial for the Nets, who need depth behind newly acquired power forward Kevin Garnett.
Blatche, the 6-foot-11 big man who is capable of playing power forward and center, had a terrific 2012-13, proving to be one of the biggest bargain signings in the league after he was amnestied by the Wizards last summer. Blatche averaged 10.3 points and 5.1 rebounds coming off the bench for much of the season and pairing with Brook Lopez to give the Nets the NBA’s highest-scoring 1-2 combination at center.
“Of course,” Deron Williams said during his exit interview, when asked if he wanted the Nets to retain Blatche. “Dray was a big part of what we did this year.
“He’s so talented. He’s unbelievably talented. It’s just a matter of consistency and him bringing it every night.”
Because Blatche still is owed more than $16 million over the next two seasons by the Wizards, he said repeatedly during and after the season that he would consider taking less money from the Nets in order to stay with the team that helped him resuscitate his career.
“Yeah, I thought about that idea,” Blatche said in May. “I got my second chance here, and I’m loyal to being here. We just have to see what happens.
“With the money situation, that makes it easier for me to stay here. I don’t have to take nothing huge. I can take less. It’s going to be based on what’s best for me.”
Due to the NBA’s complicated formula for players who have been amnestied, Blatche will make roughly $8.9 million dollars this season by staying with the Nets, who will also own his Early Bird rights going into next offseason.
* C.J. Watson’s decision to opt out of the second year of his deal with the Nets and hit the open market proved to be a wise move.
Watson became one of the first free agents to agree to a new contract yesterday when he verbally committed to a two-year deal with the Pacers.
“Keep up with the pace!!!!” Watson tweeted as news of the deal broke.
Watson’s departure, which was first reported by Hoopsworld and won’t be official until July 10, left the Nets in need of another point guard to compete with Tyshawn Taylor for backup minutes behind Deron Williams.
In order to fill that spot, the Nets reached out to free agent Shaun Livingston, according to a source. Livingston, the fourth overall pick in the draft by the Clippers in 2004, has played for eight teams in his career, including the Wizards and Cavaliers last season.
Livingston played 66 games last season, and averaged 7.2 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game while shooting 50.2 percent from the floor. Livingston’s career was derailed by a horrific knee injury in February 2007 that kept him out for the rest of that season and the entire 2007-08 season.