The Nets' Kris Humphries goes up for a dunk while being defended by the Charlotte Bobcats' Tyrus Thomas (wearing retro ABA jersey). A report says the Bobcats are interested in signing Humphries as a free agent.A story in the Charlotte Observer says the Charlotte Bobcats are interested in signing free agent power forward Kris Humphries.
The story said the Bobcats are interested in Humphries and might even use the amnesty clause to waive a player to create salary cap room to sign Humphries, who could have gone to Charlotte in a sign-and-trade as part of the complicated, four-team deal that was being discussed earlier in the week that would have sent Dwight Howard to the Nets.
ESPN's Marc Stein tweeted that the Nets are ready to get into a bidding war with Charlotte for Humphries' services. Stein said the Bobcats are prepared to offer Humphries $22 million over three years, while the Nets are willing to offer $24 million over three years.
The odd thing is that earlier in the week, when the Nets were reportedly talking to Charlotte about possibly being the third team in the four-team megadeal for Howard, the Bobcats reportedly let it be known they wouldn't mind Humphries for a year, but they didn't seem eager to go much longer than that. Humphries, an unrestricted free agent who averaged 13.8 points and 11 rebounds last season, wanted a multi-year deal, and ultimately the deal fell apart. So if Charlotte had been willing to take Humphries on a three-year contract at the time, it's possible Howard might be a Brooklyn Net right now.
The Nets, who currently have Bosnian newcomer Mirza Teletovic and well-traveled Reggie Evans as power forwards on their roster, could certainly use Humphries to provide rebounding in a starting lineup that right now appears to lack that element.