NBA free agency 2013: Jeff Teague to stay in Atlanta

One of the top restricted free agents on the market, Teague got surprisingly little attention from suitors as the market quickly dried up. With few remaining teams claiming salary cap space and a need at point guard, Teague essentially was left to choose between Milwaukee and Atlanta before agreeing to the deal with the former.

However, the Hawks always retained the right to match any offer sheet signed by Teague -- before Saturday night’s deadline, it appears they will do just that. Considering the relatively affordable terms Milwaukee agreed to offer, it’s not surprising Atlanta ultimately will simply match it.

At an average annual salary of $8 million, it’s still definitely possible that Ferry decides to match and keep Teague on the team. The Hawks drafted German point guard Dennis Schroeder with the No. 17 overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, but he is considered a raw player who may need time to develop. Nobody knows which way Atlanta’s GM will lean in this situation, and all Teague can do at this point is thrash around a bit and attempt to tip the scales. Welcome to life as a restricted free agent.

Update: Teague believes the Hawks will not match Milwaukee’s offer sheet. He also apparently believes that Larry Drew loves him more now than he did during the time they shared in Atlanta...

Teague averaged 14.6 points and 7.2 assists while shooting 45.1 percent for the Hawks last season. While Teague’s ceiling may not be as high as that of Jennings, he’s a bit more efficient and would come at a cheaper price tag. Jennings averaged 17.5 points and 6.5 assists last year, but he shot just 39.9 percent from the field and has been looking for a deal around $12 million a year.

The Hawks have three days to match the offer for Teague if they want to retain his services.

Stein reported on Monday that the Bucks and Hawks have had discussions on a possible swap of Jennings and Teague. If an offer sheet is put into play, Stein reports that it could trigger ramped-up sign-and-trade discussions and that Milwaukee would be “happy” to deal either Jennings or Ellis.

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Earlier in the free agency period, it appeared that Jennings would return to Milwaukee, as he proclaimed that he had “unfinished business” to take care of. Furthermore, it also appeared as if the Bucks wanted to retain Jennings.

But because of Drew’s prior relationship with Teague, the Bucks began to show interest in a reunion. Stein reports that the talks haven’t yet hit the “serious” stage.