The Portland Trail Blazers, convinced the Indiana Pacers will match their offer sheet of 4 years and $58 million to restricted free-agent center Roy Hibbert, will not officially complete the transaction and thereby allow Hibbert to re-sign outright, league sources said Tuesday.
The move is beneficial for the Blazers. If Hibbert did sign the offer sheet, the Pacers would have three days to match.
During those three days, the Blazers would have Hibbert's first-year salary in the deal removed from the cap space they have available to pursue other free agents.
The Pacers drafted Hibbert with the 17th overall pick in 2008 and the Georgetown product has seen his scoring and rebounding averages rise every season, reaching a career-high 12.8 points and 8.8 rebounds in the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season.
With Hibbert anchoring their frontcourt, the Pacers were 42-24 this year and lost to the Miami Heat in six games in the second round of the playoffs.