Sources: Jefferson, Spurs to complete deal this week

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Since signing Tiago Splitter, the Spurs have been very quiet on the free agent front, while several of their rumored interests started signing and dropping like flies with other teams.

JeffersonBut one free agent, although rumored to have drawn interest from several teams, has yet to sign anywhere.

Richard Jefferson, who opted out of a guaranteed $15 million next season, should be back in the silver & black soon.

ESPN’s Marc Stein says it’ll happen this week.

Some dribbles of gossip from the front-office grapevine as we transition from summer league to Team USA training camp in the desert:

This is the week, by all accounts, that San Antonio and Richard Jefferson will complete the restructured deal that we’ve all assumed had to be forthcoming…The specifics in terms of years and dollars remain unknown, but I’ve been assured that Jefferson will officially be back with the Spurs quite soon.

Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News says Jefferson will be signing tomorrow.

Free agent forward Richard Jefferson is en route to San Antonio this afternoon, where he is set to sign a long-term contract with the Spurs on Wednesday.

Details of the new deal are not yet available, but his salary next season will be well below the $15.2 million he would have been guaranteed had he not opted out of the final season of his contract with the Spurs on June 30.

Jefferson, who Spurs fans considered the bust of last summer’s offseason acquisitions, averaged 12.3 points and 4.4 rebounds during the regular season. His numbers took a hit during the playoffs, where he averaged 9.4 points a game.

While he has drawn the ire of Spurs fans, he is likely one of the better free agents left on the market at his position, and his signing will reportedly keep the Spurs under the luxury tax threshold.