Suns delay Carter deadline, extend qualifying offer to Brooks

The Suns took care of some front-office housekeeping hours before the draft by announcing Thursday that they have extended the guaranteed-salary date on Vince Carter's contract and extended a $3 million qualifying offer to Aaron Brooks to make him a restricted free agent.

Carter's previous contract language stipulated that his $18 million salary would have become fully guaranteed if he was not waived by June 30, when he still would have received a guaranteed $4 million. The Suns have negotiated for that deadline to move back to the start of free agency, whenever that occurs once a new collective bargaining agreement is reached. The guaranteed amount remains $4 million and the likelihood of Carter remaining a Sun is still extremely doubtful.

The official franchise line is that the team gets more time to make a decision, although it obviously benefits them that they don't have to immediately cut a $4 million check to Carter. The benefit to Carter, and maybe the Suns too, is that Carter could have more options if a new CBA was to alter rules about renegotiations or trades.

The Brooks' qualifying offer was a simple decision to maintain control of his fate by making him a restricted free agent. That status will allow the Suns to match any other team's free agency offer and retain Brooks if they so choose.