By George, Let the Serious Bids Begin

NBA executives expect the salary cap to fall for the first time, several teams already have spent well past the luxury-tax threshold they believed would be higher, and still a largely untested Devean George is the talk of a light free-agent market that opens today.

George, 24, has played three seasons with the Lakers, much of them unremarkable despite tremendous physical gifts, at least in part because he played behind veterans and in a complicated offensive system.

Set free when the club declined to exercise the fourth-year option on his rookie contract, George has met with organizations from New Jersey to Utah, heard from 12 to 15 teams--if his agent is to be believed--and read that the Minnesota Timberwolves would offer him $35 million over six seasons to play in his hometown.

In the past week alone, George has sat down with officials from the Nets and Timberwolves and had a physical exam in Chicago. On Monday he met with Net President and General Manager Rod Thorn and Coach Byron Scott; Thorn seemed suspicious in the aftermath.

“There are several teams that are interested in him--Minnesota, Utah, Chicago, Washington, Miami,” he said. “We had a meeting with him and we’ll see what kind of interest he has in us. The player has to let you know he’s interested in playing for you, and he’s not somebody just trying to use you to drive the price up.

“This guy has met with several teams and will likely meet with several others.”

The Nets have considered moving Richard Jefferson to shooting guard and therefore might need a small forward. The Wizards are said to like George enough to offer a starting job, something for which George has pined.

Yet, the Miami Heat and Memphis Grizzlies, once regarded as the most serious contenders for George, both drafted small forwards. The Timberwolves already have Wally Szczerbiak. The Bulls think Eddie Robinson could be their small forward, and also have Jalen Rose.

Where this leaves the Lakers remains to be seen. They would prefer to re-sign George, though perhaps not at the maximum allowed, and the tumbling NBA economy could help thin out the big spenders.

The Lakers expect to spend their mid-level exception (about $4.7 million), and would allocate at least some of it to initiate a multi-year contract for George, who at times last season played very well. According to the collective bargaining agreement, they could go as far as six years for $35.3 million--the maximum allowed--but won’t, and might rather start with three or four years beginning at $3.5 million or $4 million, followed by the allowed 10% raises.

The news that the salary cap will drop from $43.5 million to about $41.5 million, along with the looming luxury tax, could have free agents jumping at the first reasonable offers starting today, the first that teams can sign free agents. Still, the only announcements expected today are from San Antonio, where Malik Rose and Bruce Bowen have agreed to contracts, and Detroit, where Chauncey Billups has agreed to a deal.