The Sacramento Kings, after making Andre Iguodala their top free-agent priority, have abruptly pulled their lucrative offer to the Denver Nuggets swingman, according to USA Today.
After ESPN.com reported Tuesday night that the Kings were going all-out to try to sign Iguodala away from the Nuggets, USA Today reported in the early hours of Wednesday that the Kings -- frustrated by Iguodala's unwillingness to give them a faster answer -- took the reported four-year, $52 million deal off the table.
It was not immediately known if the offer to Iguodala can be resuscitated.
Iguodala, in response to the move, simply tweeted:
WOW!!!!
— Andre Iguodala (@andre) July 3, 2013
Via his Twitter feed, Iguodala also said:
Really?? Ok... MOTIVATION!!!!!!
— Andre Iguodala (@andre) July 3, 2013
When it appeared that they were closing in on a verbal agreement with Iguodala under new general manager Pete D'Alessandro -- whom Sacramento hired away from Denver -- sources told ESPN.com that the Kings were likewise leaning strongly against matching the offer sheet restricted free agent Tyreke Evans is planning to sign with the New Orleans Pelicans on July 10.
Sources said Tuesday that Evans is prepared to sign a four-year deal worth at least $44 million when the league's annual moratorium on signings and trades is lifted. How the latest developments with Iguodala impact Sacramento's stance on Evans remains to be seen.
The Kings' initial stance, sources said, was that matching the Pelicans' forthcoming deal with Evans is too pricey, especially after Sacramento drafted Ben McLemore with the seventh overall pick in last Thursday's draft.
As for Iguodala's future, Denver is the only team in the league that can offer him a five-year deal and has indicated repeatedly that it hopes to hang on to him. Detroit, Golden State, Houston, Atlanta and Dallas are also among the teams that have expressed interest in signing him.
