When Sam Cassell was a free agent, he was pursued by George Karl, who coached him in Milwaukee from 1998-2003.

"I did give (signing with Denver) a lot of consideration," Cassell said. "(Karl is) one of the coaches that's going to give me the opportunity to become a head coach. That's my dream."

Cassell said the Nuggets offered him a three-year, $11 million deal.

But Atlanta then entered the bidding and raised the stakes, and he eventually re-signed with the Clippers for $13 million over three years.

"We were in the game early," Karl said. "We had a limit to where we could go."