Blazers Offer Roy Hibbert 4 Year $58 Million, Signs With Pacers

[key2win]

2012 NBA free agency -- Portland Trail Blazers offer Roy Hibbert max RFA contract, sources say - ESPN

The Portland Trail Blazers have offered restricted free agent center Roy Hibbert a four-year, $58 million contract, sources confirmed to ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard.

The $58-million offer sheet, earlier reported by SI.com, is the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement.

According to SI.com, the Indiana Pacers did not offer Hibbert the maximum and the 25-year-old All-Star is leaning toward signing the Blazers' offer sheet.

If Hibbert signs with Portland, the Pacers would have three days to match the offer and retain their 7-foot-2, 260-pound center under the current CBA. Indiana underwent a front-office makeover last week, with Larry Bird resigning as president of basketball operations and David Morway resigning as general manager. They were replaced by former Pacers executive Donnie Walsh and Kevin Pritchard, respectively.

[key2win]

2012 NBA free agency -- Indiana Pacers to match Portland Trail Blazers' offer to Roy Hibbert - ESPN

The Indiana Pacers plan to match the Portland Trail Blazers' offer to restricted free agent Roy Hibbert, the Indianapolis Star reported on Monday.

ESPN has confirmed the Pacers' plans for Hibbert.

Sources told ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard that Portland offered the center a four-year, $58 million contract, the maximum allowed under the collective bargaining agreement.

The Pacers drafted Hibbert with the 17th overall pick in 2008 and the Georgetown product has seen his scoring and rebounding averages rise every season, reaching a career-high 12.8 points and 8.8 rebounds in the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season.

[gladdyontherise]

Not suprised the Pacers are matching.

[leiber88]

I'm kind of surprised. They could have brought in Kaman and gotten about 2/3 the production at 1/2 the cost.

[key2win]

Portland withdrew their offer. Pacers signed him to the same contract I believe.

Hibbert and the Pacers agreed to terms on a four-year contract, the Indianapolis Star reports.

[wheeler281]

Pacers had no choice here. Hibbert is just coming into his prime. Kaman is 3 yrs older without half the skill set while playing his whole life. Hibbert has only played including college 6 or 7 yrs of organized ball. It was no coincidence the games they gave the heat trouble in the playoffs were the ones Hibbert was fed early and often. Very high ceiling for big roy. His body is just catching up. Can't even recognize him from the soft mushy guy from Gtown he once was