Norris Cole, Pelicans remain at a standstill in contract talks
Norris Cole is a restricted free agent, which means that the Pelicans could match any offer he might receive to play anywhere else.
That fact alone usually precludes players from receiving offer sheets, because teams don't want their salary cap space tied up for three days only to see the player end up being re-signed.
But at this late stage of things, with training camp just a couple of weeks away, Cole has almost no chance of getting an offer he'd like from another team to force New Orleans' hand. Instead, his choices are to play out next season on a one-year qualifying offer, or settle for less than his asking price.
It's worth noting that Cole is represented by Rich Paul, the same agent who is responsible for Tristan Thompson still being unsigned under similar circumstances with the Cavaliers.
