All has been quiet on the Mickael Pietrus front so far this offseason, but interest in the happy-go-lucky veteran is reportedly picking up.
Three NBA teams have expressed major interest in Pietrus, and two of the teams "seem motivated to get a deal done," according to CSNNW.com. The 30-year-old reportedly also has a strong overseas option on the table that contains an escape clause.
Pietrus played in 42 games with the Celtics last season as he battled injuries. According to CSNNW.com, the French surgeon who performed arthroscopic knee surgery on Pietrus in the summer of 2011 didn't remove a large piece of cartilage, which caused Pietrus to suffer excruciating pain and forced him to play 80 percent on one leg last year. He also had his right knee scoped this summer, so it seemed for a while that
teams were being very cautious when it came to showing interest in the
veteran swingman.
When healthy, Pietrus has been an effective role player, though, so perhaps it's time for someone to take a flyer. Pietrus reportedly feels "10 times better than last season," and while the overseas option is on the table, it's believed that he prefers to play in the NBA.
Pietrus had stops with the Warriors, Magic and Suns before joining the Celtics last season. He's averaged 8.4 points and 3.1 rebounds in 21.5 minutes per game throughout his nine-year NBA career.
It's unclear how much Pietrus is seeking in free agency, but his agent said in July that Pietrus is not a "veteran's minimum player."
