The Clippers continue to proceed quietly on Day 3 of free agency – Orange County Register

At the very least, Wednesday offered confirmation that the Clippers brass were working on it.

The NBA free agency wore a third day on Wednesday, and Brooklyn and Washington reportedly put a ribbon on a trade expanded to five teams who landed Spencer Dinwiddie in the nation’s capital; All-Star Kemba Walker would have accepted a buyout contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder, releasing him to sign with the New York Knicks; and the only report from the Clippers about a meeting that didn’t even happen.

Otherwise, beyond the exercise by Serge Ibaka of his option of $ 9.7 million for next season and the re-signing of Nicolas Batum for a two-year contract at around $ 3.2 million , the Clippers had made no other contract Wednesday night.

They had, however, prepared to launch quadruple All-Star DeMar DeRozan on Tuesday, according to Yahoo’s Chris Haynes, who reported that DeRozan’s agent canceled the meeting while the “Clippers” were driving, they were on their way to La. DeMar’s house (when) things got a little more interesting with the Bulls. That’s one way of describing a sign-and-swap deal that would send DeRozan (Compton High, USC) to Chicago on a three-year, $ 85 million contract.

Armed outright with the mid-level taxpayer exception worth $ 5.9 million, the Clippers should have worked a signing and trade to meet DeRozan’s salary demands, which would have capped them at $ 143 million, limiting their flexibility when it comes to re-signing Reggie Jackson and filling out the rest of the list.

As it stands, the maximum the Clippers can offer Jackson, one of the most attractive free agents left on the market, is $ 47 million for four years, via his Early Bird rights status with the team.

Whether they were willing to take these steps to woo DeRozan will remain a mystery – this is how Kawhi Leonard prefers the front office to operate.

The enigmatic Clippers superstar is also an unrestricted free agent after stepping down, as he said months earlier that he intended to do so.