As originally reported by Jason Quick of The Athletic, the Portland Trail Blazers have declined to offer Zach Collins his $7 million qualifying option, meaning now that he is officially a free agent.
ESPN’s NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski broke that news this morning, while Bleacher Report reported in the last few days that Collins already had interest from four NBA teams.
Portland isn't extending the $7M qualifying offer to Zach Collins, officially making him a free agent, source tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 1, 2021
A qualifying offer is an amount that sits on a team’s books after that player comes off their rookie deal. The way the number is calculated is based on the player’s previous salary. With the Blazers declining to offer this amount, they are unable to match any deal in free agency like they would have if he was restricted.
Now, any team is able to offer Collins a contract, and he and his camp can just choose from the best offer and situation available.
Bleacher Report, in their latest bundle of insider insights, reported that the following teams were interested in him. Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors, and New Orleans Pelicans.
Free agency opens in under 48 hours, and any of these teams will be able to offer Collins a deal.
With a lack of quality big men available on the market, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Collins get a multi-year deal at over the minimum and maybe up to $5 million per year. As a big who can defend, shoot and pass, he still has a market in this league after successfully recovering from his latest foot surgery.