Is DeJuan Blair Leaving or Staying With San Antonio?

Nov 5, 2012; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich gives instruction to forward DeJuan Blair (45) during the first half against the indiana Pacers at the AT

The San Antonio Spurs are playing a little hardball with DeJuan Blair.  The Spurs do hold the rights over the restricted free agent, and they are making every team interested in his services very aware of that.

According to Alex Kennedy of Hoopsworld, there are a dozen teams that are interested in the services of Blair, but known of which have made any offer that the Spurs deem beneficial and has refused to budge on such offers.

Per Kennedy:

Over a dozen teams have expressed some level of interest in Blair, but the 24-year-old is hoping to sign a multi-year deal or have the San Antonio Spurs facilitate a sign-and-trade so that he can retain his Bird rights. So far, the Spurs haven’t been very cooperative since they obviously won’t agree to take part in a sign-and-trade that doesn’t benefit them.

If the sign-and-trade option falls through, Blair may have to take a one-year deal, play well this season and then try to secure the multi-year deal he desires next summer. The Chicago Bulls have been linked to Blair this offseason and seem like a realistic landing spot for him since they’re a top-tier team that has minutes to offer. The L.A. Clippers have expressed interest in Blair, but only have a minimum deal and limited role to offer the young big man.

With the re-signing of Tiago Splitter early this off-season, and Blair’s minutes have taken a decline during this past season, there was already indication that his days were numbered in San Antonio.

The Spurs as they have always been, are waiting patiently for that right deal for them to benefit from before they will pull the trigger on anything with Blair.

Where ever he may end up, Blair will bring the same intensity and nose for the basketball as he did when he spent his time in San Antonio. He leaves it out on the floor, whether he is playing 5 minutes, or 10 minutes, teams know that he will give it everything he has in that time.