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With 48 hours to go until the opening of free agency, rumors are starting to leak around the NBA. One of the juicier ones involves the Portland Trail Blazers’ Allen Crabbe, a Restricted Free Agent this summer. Ian Begley, who covers the New York region for ESPN.com, reports that three teams are showing interest in Crabbe’s services.
The 76ers, Nets and Kings are among the teams interested in Portland restricted free agent Allen Crabbe, sources say.
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) June 29, 2016
This would be the Kings’ second consecutive season chasing a shooting guard from the Blazers, after being a finalist for Wesley Matthews’ services in 2015.
With the cap jumping this summer, offers are expected to dramatically increase. Blazer’s Edge’s Dan Marang discussed this topic with NBA writers Seah Highkin and Oliver Maroney on Twitter, and the numbers popped off the page.
The Blazers are SO far under the cap I can't imagine them not matching any offer sheet Allen Crabbe gets
— Sean Highkin (@highkin) June 29, 2016
@highkin @DMarang I see him hitting 15-17m. Depends on what happens with similar players and when he makes decision. Blazers should match.
— Oliver Maroney (@OMaroney) June 29, 2016
While talking to the media during exit interviews after the season, Crabbe expressed a desire to return to Portland if possible.
"Obviously Portland has my rights," Crabbe said Thursday. "(I) definitely wouldn't mind coming back and playing with them next year, but just gonna have to wait and see. ... I think it'll be pretty exciting."
Crabbe shot .393 from three-point range, and averaged 10.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists off the bench during his breakout season. He’ll be a restricted free agent this summer, and can begin talking with other teams at Midnight EDT on July 1st, when free agency opens. He cannot sign a contract until July 7, but players often informally agree to terms with teams during the moratorium.