Sources: Kings request meeting with Rajon Rondo; Heat call Wade, Dragic
Amid the busy opening hours of NBA free agency Tuesday night, the Sacramento Kings requested a meeting with free-agent point guard Rajon Rondo, sources told ESPN.com.
No contract has been offered at this point. However, Sacramento "came on strong" and wants to meet with Rondo in person, sources told ESPN.com's Ramona Shelburne.
Sources told ESPN.com's Marc Stein that Rondo, no matter where he ends up, is likely to sign a one-year deal after his bumpy 2014-15 season, which started in Boston and ended in Dallas.
The Kings have by far showed the most early interest in Rondo, with sources saying Rudy Gay has been one of the loudest voices in the organization trying to lure Rondo to Sacramento.
Among other teams that were actively working the phones:
- The Miami Heat put in calls to Dwyane Wade and Goran Dragic as the free-agency period opened. Dragic is currently in Slovenia but is expected to re-sign with the Heat in short order, sources told Shelburne. The 29-year-old guard is willing to work with Miami so the team can re-sign Wade.
- The Washington Wizards are increasingly optimistic about their chances of re-signing Paul Pierce despite interest from Pierce's hometown Los Angeles Clippers, sources told Stein. Pierce and the Wizards opened negotiations shortly after midnight ET.
- The defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors' first call as free agency got underway went to restricted free-agent forwardDraymond Green, a source told Shelburne.
- The Indiana Pacers will meet with guard Monta Ellis on Wednesday, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard. Ellis, who averaged 18.9 points last season, didn't exercise the final year of his deal with the Dallas Mavericks last month, forgoing $8.7 million.
