Four years on Jarrett Jack offer sheet

It didn’t take Bryan Colangelo long at all to make his next free agent move.

The Raptors president and general manager will, if he hasn’t already, extend a four-year contract offer sheet to free agent guard Jarrett Jack.

There’s no financial terms available right now but Jack made $2.2 million last season with the Indiana Pacers and it’s unlikely the Raptors wouldn’t make an offer that at least includes a marginal raise in the first year.

The four years is the interesting point. Colangelo said he was looking mainly at short-term contracts to avoid future tax penalties but if the salary is low enough, he must feel comfortable that it won’t have any long-term implications.

Jack, a college teammate of Chris Bosh at Georgia Tech, averaged 13.1 points and 4.4 assists per game with the Pacers last year, when he started 53 of 82 games, beating out former Raptor T.J. Ford for the starting role.

At 6'3, he’s also more than able to play a little two-guard and would be the kind of combo guard Colangelo likes.

Because the 25-year-old Jack is a restricted free agent, the Pacers will have seven days from the time the offer sheet is signed to decide whether or not they’ll match it. Team officials there have given no public indication before today what they would do in the event of an offer to Jack but have said they want to avoid any chance at crossing the tax threshold of $69.9 million.

Comments

[doug]

I've always liked Jack as a player..i think the 4 year contract is a direct challenge to the Pacers if your going to offer a restricted free-agent a contract or present him with a offer sheet, then you have to either over-pay or do something that may give the other team time to pause...Jack beat out T.J. I am still not convinced the Pacers are going to let him go...but BC must know something...this guy Jack is the real deal a sweet ball player...

[Kevin Huang]

Doug, JJ averaged 33 minutes a game last season, do you see that he will have as many minutes this year? I don't think he could guard the majority of the 2's in the league but could take on some...
Will this affect BC's decision for Delfino?

Blogger's note: I don't think it has any impact on Delfino at all

[Tim W.]

Great move. I've always liked Jarrett Jack. He's the type of combo guard I actually like because he has the ability to guard both positions (and do it well), he is unselfish enough that if he's playing PG the offense doesn't screech to a halt, and he doesn't mind coming off the bench- notice none of those describe Ben Gordon.

I can see giving him a long term contract because he could easily be part of a long term plan. He's young, a good teammate, works hard and can back up the PG position. Guys like him are very underrated, in my opinion.

[Bob]

Another brownie point for you Doug for keeping the hardcore Raptors fans on top of everything, especially on a Saturday afternoon. Chances of the Pacers matching this offer... 50-50? Any implications of this move for signing Delfino now and for Douby as a Raptor? Judging by BC's moves so far, I think he still has a few surprises up his sleeve. I guess Rasho is the next signing...our bench is getting better by the day if Jarred can be signed.

Blogger's note: No guess at the moment on a percentage but I'm trying to find out

[Ivan]

Did Colangelo not like what he saw in Ukic during the summer league game? I'm guessing this is also a move to make Bosh happy since they were teammates in Georgia Tech.

Blogger's note: One summer league game? Had no impact whatsoever on this. None

[Sean]

my first though is great pick-up. but after thinking about it I would be really suprised if the Pacers didn't match the offer. it's probably going to be a reasonable $ amount & i just can't see the Pacers not matching the offer.

[Kevin Huang]

Also, thanks Doug, you're always the fastest to give us this info.
Any financial details?
The entire MLE?

Blogger's note: No, no financials yet.

[it is what it is]

Hey Doug I think the Pacers will match do you?

The reason they may not is:
They just signed D Jones and all ready have Ford, Diener, Rush, Dunlevy and Granger under contract at the guard/wing postion not to mention M Daniels as a free agent.

However they seem to like Jack more then Ford at the end of last year. Personally I think Jack is solid and could seriously challenge Jose for serious minutes and a maybe even take his starting spot over the next couple few years.

Your thoughts Doug. Keep up the good work.

Blogger's note: I have no idea and haven't spoken to anyone with any knowledge of Indiana's thinking

[Vik]

yes Doug...thanks for the heads up and breaking us this story

Blogger's note: Thanks, but it was out there before me; I just got the years

[@touchmyapps]

The good news keeps on rollin'. If the Pacers don't match the offer, the Raps will have a pretty deep line up (considering just last week, we were looking at skeleton bench crew prior to 4 team trade). It wouldn't be far fetched at all to say that the upcoming 09-10 season will be THE most anticipated one in the history of the team. Good job to Colangelo and Steve Fruitman for cooking up this 4 way deal.

[Alex]

Hey Doug, any idea what the Pacers are at financially right now?

What's the minimum amount Toronto would have to offer to bring them to the tax?

Blogger's note: Really, you have to do some work for yourself. The salary level and difference between where they are and where the tax is has been written repeatedly since yesterday

[A.V. Roe]

How's the Pacers' cap situation? Would you guess that they are going to match?

If they didn't, wouldn't it be trading Jerryd Bayless for nothing?

[A.V. Roe]

Oops didn't read the last paragraph.

Solly!

[Mike..]

WOW....it just doesn't stop. This Free agency period is better than Monday night TV.

Hey Doug, answer me this.... Is Jerret a piece of the "equation" to help keep Bosh here or is he someone we really needed? Do you truly believe it had to be Jarett or could the Raptors have gotten another guard at a cheaper price tag? Don't get me wrong, I love the additions to our team, but I'm always looking for the alterior motive in everything.

Thanks again for being our eyes and ears in this ever changing landscape. Excellent job!

Blogger's note: I think it's a matter of getting a solid combo guard, the Bosh factor helps but it wasn't the driver

[Mike]

Unless its the full MLE the pacers will match, TJ Ford will be easy for them to move to get a decent SG in return.

same goes for the Raps, if Jack seems to being a better job than Calderon, Calderon can be moved easily for a decent SG.

Its win win for either team on this.

Blogger's note: Don't be too sure on the matching. They might but they're perilously close to the tax level with the addition of Dahntay Jones

[Anthony]

What does this mean for Carlos Delfino?

Blogger's note: According to sources I talk to, nothing

[ben]

Hey Doug what impact would this have to Ukic? It doesn't make much sense to have Ukic behind 2 quality points like Jose and Jack. Also are you ready for Jose VS Jack?

Blogger's note: Jose vs. Jack? Oh yeah, it'll come. It'll be all in the minds of fans :)
I don't think it can be great for Roko but everyone I talked to connected with the team still thinks he's going to be okay. And so do I personally.

[Chris]

If the Raps get Jack, do you think that BC will then sign Delfino, Pops, and Rasho?

Blogger's note: Two out of three ain't bad.
And I'll say this other places, too, it's not just you: If they had any interest at all in Pops, don't you think they might have him on their summer league team so they can look at him closely? Seriously, he's far, far, far down the list according to every source I have.

[Mike]

Nice scoop Doug.

In your mind does this tip Colangelo's hand with respect to what he thinks of Roko's long term future?

A 4 year offer to an RFA is a real commitment. He'd be joining Bargs/Hedo/Jose as long term deals plus Demar can have 4 rookie years.

This is a shrewd move if it helps cement CB4.

Also think this really locks us in well in the backcourt if Jose can't handle big minutes w/o getting gassed or getting injury prone. Plus he can play some 2-guard to get his minutes up.

[aditya]

don't think indiana's going to match....looking at salaries and players:

-- tj ford - they have ford for whom to be traded now would not bring enough assets in return, in my opinion
-- travis diener as his backup
-- aj price - their draftee seems to be playing good in the summer league being coached by jim o brian himself
-- mike dunleavy at the 2 (whose injury is possibly devastating, but still on the books for a hefty salary for the next 2 years, appx 10 mil a year)
-- dahntay jones - just signed him to the 4 yr $11 mil deal for defensive purposes mainly (since indiana was so bad defensively)
-- brandon rush - he played good, can knock down 3's, he is a 2 man
-- jamaal tinsley is on their books as well

BC is making a calculated move, i listed 6 GUARDS in the above list (with aj price non-guaranteed)...again, probably depends on the dollar figure, but i don't see pacers matching for a 4 year deal in the $4 mil+ range)

[clutch k]

it is about three years to late but we finally are going after the guy. i've love j. jack game since college and NO he is not the most flashy guy but he understands the game and more time than not is making WINNING decisions throughout the game.

Doug do u think i'm "off the wall"(alit shout out to micheal) if i was to say that it is far more important to do what we have to do to get j. jack even if that means forgetting about delfino?

Blogger's note: They've done all they can do to get Jack, it's out of their hands now. And sources I talk to say it has nothing to do with Delfino, who remains very much in play

[Henry Ho]

How good is Jarrett Jack? I don't know much about him.

[Sivart]

I really like the thought of adding Jack.

On another note for anybody interested in seeing a short interview of Demar DeRozan at summer league:

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-42-58/DeMar-DeRozan--Arriving-Early.html

[Kevin]

Hi Doug,

On the possibility of matching the offer:
can the Pacers afford to go with Ford?
does TJ have any GM's out there would still see potential in him?

[yahweh]

Hey Doug,

At any point would Brian Colangalo have contacted the Indiana Pacers and already have been told in advance that they would not match the offer. Does this ever happen when signing an offer sheet for a restricted free agent?

Great Job as always. Everyone should join your facebook fan page!

Blogger's note: No, he wouldn't have talked to Indy