The Houston Rockets' intention to match the Dallas Mavericks' three-year, $46 million offer sheet to restricted free agent Chandler Parsons is uncertain after Chris Bosh's decision to re-sign with the Miami Heat.
A source told ESPNDallas.com earlier Friday that the Rockets planned to match the offer to Parsons after signing Bosh. The Rockets spent the afternoon clearing salary cap space, including trading guard Jeremy Lin and a future first-round pick to the Los Angeles Lakers, in anticipation of signing Bosh to a near-max deal.
However, Bosh opted to stay in Miami on a five-year, $118 million max contract, sources confirmed to ESPN. The Rockets could only offer Bosh a four-year deal for a little more than $80 million in order to keep point guard Patrick Beverley and match the Mavs' offer to Parsons.
Houston has until 11:59 p.m. Sunday to match the Mavs' offer to Parsons, who currently accounts for a $2.9 million hold on the Rockets' cap. The Rockets must decide whether it's worth paying Parsons more than $15 million per season without accomplishing their goal of adding an All-Star power forward this summer.
The Houston Chronicle reported that the Rockets were in contact with the agent for free-agent small forward Luol Deng on Friday.
The Mavs' next two targets at small forward, sources said, would be Trevor Ariza and Deng. Deng is seeking a multiyear contract with a starting salary around $12 million, while Ariza is seeking a multiyear deal with a starting salary between $9 million and $11 million.
The Mavs are also maintaining contact with the agents of free-agent small forwards Paul Pierce and Shawn Marion, who played the last five seasons in Dallas.
The Parsons offer sheet, which starts with a $14.7 million salary, accounts for the rest of the Mavs' cap space after the soon-to-be-official deals for Dirk Nowitzki and Devin Harris are done.