Goran Dragic on free agency: 'At home here, but I'll explore my options'
Despite things getting better for Goran Dragic and the Phoenix Suns as the season rolls along, the point guard's future with the club remains cloudy.
Dragic, a breakout star in 2013-14, can become an unrestricted free agent after the season, and the market for his services is expected to be robust. He started the season off underwhelming relative to his breakout campaign, as the Suns struggled in general with their new three-point guard core, but he's firmly re-established his value as the season's gone along.
| Dragic | Pts/36 | Ast/36 | TS% | Suns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct-Nov | 16.9 | 3.8 | 54.7% | 10-8 |
| Dec | 20.0 | 5.1 | 63.4% | 8-8 |
| Jan | 17.6 | 4.3 | 58.0% | 6-2 |
Dragic is averaging 16.9 points and 4.1 assists with above-average efficiency metrics, and stands to earn a raise on the $7.5 million he's making this season. The Suns have said they'll have the money to pay Dragic, Eric Bledsoe and Isaiah Thomas, but they're going to have competition to retain him.
As Dragic told the Los Angeles Daily News, he likes it in Phoenix, but every option, including the Los Angeles Lakers, will be explored:
I’m really happy here in Phoenix and they have given me everything I have ever dreamed. I feel like I’m at home here. But I’ll explore my options.
It’s not just L.A. I think it’s everybody. Back in Europe, there are bad teams financially and teams that aren’t organized. But every team in the NBA is a good organization.
The Houston Rockets, among others, are expected to have interest in Dragic, too. The Suns will have an edge by owning Dragic's Bird rights, especially if Dragic ultimately commands a max contract, which seems unlikely but not impossible.
If the Suns make their first playoff appearances since 2009-10, it's hard to see either side wanting to end the relationship this summer.