While reports overnight said the Rockets and back-up center Nene had agreed to a four-year, $15 million contract extension, ESPN reported Sunday AEDT that no deal has been reached.
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Per ESPN, the Rockets cannot offer Nene a four-year deal because of the Over 38 rule in the collective bargaining agreement, as the fouth season would have extended past his 38th birthday. A new deal with Houston would be for three-years and $10.9 million, terms Nene isn't happy about.
Nene, in fact, is back on the free-agent market.
Free agent Nene is very disappointed about his $4 million drop in expected contract & is "back at square one in free agency," a source said. https://t.co/FiVWzbl6Ou
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpearsESPN) July 1, 2017
Nene, 34, averaged 9.1 points and 4.2 rebounds in 17.9 minutes per game last season, and 10 points on 70.6 percent shooting in the playoffs. While he was a big factor during Houston's first-round series win over the Thunder, a thigh injury suffered in Game 4 against the Spurs kept him out of the rest of that second-round series. He did not need surgery, however.