Boban Marjanovic Reportedly Accepts Detroit Pistons Offer Sheet

Boban Marjanovic emerged as a fan favorite and surprisingly solid rotational contributor for the San Antonio Spurs throughout the 2015-16 season, and he may have found a new home for next season. 

Continue for updates. 

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Pistons Reportedly Sign Marjanovic to Offer Sheet 

Thursday, July 7

ESPN's Marc Stein reported that the Detroit Pistons signed Marjanovic to a three-year, $21 million offer sheet, which the Spurs have three days to match. Stein added the Spurs are resigned to losing Marjanovic to the Pistons, because they can't afford to match the offer. 

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Spurs Extend Qualifying Offer to Marjanovic 

Tuesday, June 28 

Marjanovic is now a restricted free agent after the Spurs gave him a qualifying offer, according to ESPN's Zach Lowe. 

International basketball reporter David Pick reported on June 8 that "sources close to [Boban] Marjanovic believe he'll re-sign" with the club following a successful rookie season.  

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All Signs Point to Marjanovic Staying in San Antonio 

"Yeah, this would be my wish," Marjanovic said in May when asked if he'd like to return to the Spurs, according to the San Antonio Express-News' Jeff McDonald. "There are nice people here, amazing people here."

According to McDonald, "a provision in the collective bargaining agreement limits the amount he can earn next season to $5.6 million," but "competing teams could choose to structure an offer sheet for Marjanovic with a salary spike in the third year. The Spurs would then have to decide whether to swallow that so-called 'poison pill' and match."

The Spurs will have an easier time evaluating what Marjanovic is worth to the franchise once the futures of Tim Duncan and Boris Diaw are cleared up. Duncan has a player option that carries a cap hit of nearly $6.4 million for next season, but the team is waiting to hear if the 40-year-old will return or retire. 

Diaw, on the other hand, can be cut loose before the end of the month with few financial repercussions. As things stand, only $3 million of Diaw's $7 million salary for the 2016-17 campaign is guaranteed if the team waives him before June 30. Diaw is also slated to make a base salary of $7 million during 2017-18 season, so the Spurs could wipe that money off the books by letting him go this summer. 

Although Marjanovic averaged a seemingly pedestrian 5.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 0.4 blocks in 9.4 minutes per night last season, his advanced metrics were off the charts. In the relatively small sample, he recorded an offensive rating of 130, a defensive rating of 96 and a player efficiency rating of 27.7. 

In a larger role, Marjanovic could be an efficient gold mine down below the free-throw line. 

Contract information courtesy of Spotrac.com unless noted otherwise. Stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com.