Pelicans and Andray Blatche have mutual interest ... or do they?

Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders reported Friday afternoon that the New Orleans Pelicans and Andray Blatche have shown "mutual interest" in one another.

I'm hearing there is mutual interest between the New Orleans Pelicans and free-agent-to-be Andray Blatche. Keep an eye on that after July 1.

— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) June 13, 2014

A league source confirmed to NetsDaily that the Pelicans interest in Blatche is legitimate. But Saturday, the New Orleans Times-Picayune said reports were inaccurate.

A league source said the Pelicans won't pursue signing New Jersey Nets (sic) power forward Andray Blatche in free agency, although several internet reports indicated there is mutual interest.Blatche can opt out of his contract and become a free agent on July 1.

Blatche had already said that he will be opting out of his deal with the Nets during exit interviews and the Pelicans can be the first of several teams to show interest in Blatche. The 27-year-old averaged 11.2 points per game in 73 games with the Nets this past season and was a key cog in their rotation. In the Nets win over the Heat in the playoffs, Blatche scored 15 points, but in the four losses totaled only 12, and in two of those games, he went scoreless. In one of those games, he picked up two fouls in four minutes.

The Nets do own his Early Bird Rights so they could potentially use Blatche in a sign-and-trade with a team to get some value in return. However, the Pelicans have enough cap space to sign Blatche to a competitive contract without having to resort to an S&T.

• Andray Blatche Pelican-bound? - Devin Kharpertian - The Brooklyn Game