NBA Free Agent Rumors: Nene on the Verge of Signing with the New Jersey Nets
Adrian Wojnarowski and Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports are reporting that the Nets are prepared to offer a four-year contract to Nene in the range of $60-65 million.
That's likely to leave the Houston Rockets out of the bidding. Yesterday, David Stern put the hammer down on a trade that would have sent the Lakers' Pau Gasol to the Rockets and would have had several Rocket players going to the Hornets, in the process freeing up $3 million. That extra $3 million must be looking pretty big to them now.
The Nuggets are still in the running, and they can offer Nene a fifth year on his contract. However, Nene has previously indicated that money won't be the only factor in his decision. He wants to go to a place where he can win as well.
In a previous interview with Marc Spears, Nene said,
"It’s not about the money. If I wanted to retire today I could retire because I saved my money. So right now I want to be happy and improve. That’s what I want. That’s what everybody wants. I need help. I need good players around. People say, ‘Nene, the last six years you averaged 14 points and eight or seven rebounds.’ OK, but they don’t say why.
Right now I want to happy first. Two, I want to win. Money? Money, I am going to have because I worked and busted my butt. Money will come.
"
With the Nets having Deron Williams and being so aggressive to improve the team while Denver is just trying to tread water—and possibly failing with both JR Smith and Wilson Chandler in China—the future might look a lot brighter to Nene in Brooklyn, erp New Jersey.
The chances are that this might be the best deal that Nene is going to get. It's looking like he'll be a New Jersey Net. Next up for the Nets is to secure a small forward.
