Kevin Bradbury, Raymond Felton's agent, went to Las Vegas confident he was close to hammering out a long-term deal with the Charlotte Bobcats.
Bradbury left after meeting with General Manager Rod Higgins disappointed and far apart in negotiations.
"We're definitely not close as far as what we're discussing and what we think fair market (value) is for Raymond," Bradbury said yesterday, a day after the meeting.
While Bradbury declined to discuss numbers, he indicated that there was a surprisingly hefty difference in the deals he and Higgins proposed for Felton, a restricted free agent.
Bradbury said that both sides remain interested in a long contract.
"At this point I'm not as encouraged as I was a day ago or even a week ago, but that doesn't mean that it can't get done," Bradbury said. "We just have to keep talking."
Higgins couldn't immediately be reached for comment.
Felton, a point guard and the Bobcats' first-round pick in 2005, has said he wants to stay in Charlotte. After averaging 14.2 points and 6.7 assists last season and winning over Coach Larry Brown, the Bobcats have made re-signing him a top offseason priority.
The Bobcats could match any offer he receives, and Bradbury said he's had some informal talks with teams. Felton could also sign the one-year tender of $5.5 million and become an unrestricted free agent next season.
"We all know that Raymond wants a long-term deal," Bradbury said. "He wants to stay in Charlotte and he wants to finish what he started. The Bobcats feel similar to that. It really just comes down to, can we get to the same space together?"
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