With free agency starting off at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, Nets targets J.J. Redick, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Otto Porter Jr. gave their first meetings to other teams. And if Brooklyn is going to land Redick, they’re reportedly going to have to convince him to not only play on a shorter deal, but do it coming off the bench.
Washington’s Porter and Detroit’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are restricted free agents, while Redick is unrestricted.
Porter and his agent David Falk met with the Wizards and left without reaching an agreement, according to TNT. The small forward is just 24 years old and plays the position general manager Sean Marks singled out as the Nets’ biggest need. Porter was second in the league in Offensive Rating (129.1) and fourth in 3-point shooting (43.4 percent).
Though the Nets can offer Porter a four-year, $106.5 million maximum deal, The Post cited a source Thursday saying the Wizards — who can give him five years — are intent on matching any offer sheet, even if it means owner Ted Leonsis has to pay the luxury tax for the first time.
Redick met with Philadelphia and is drawing interest from Houston as well. And though Brooklyn’s interest is genuine, they want to him to come off the bench behind D’Angelo Russell, whom they see as their franchise player. After giving up all-time leading scorer Brook Lopez to get Russell, 21, they’re committed to starting the former No. 2 pick in the backcourt alongside Jeremy Lin.