One of the key quotes from the above is that BI wants to be here. Everything official has stated that, everything else has been pure speculation. He wants to stay, but he wants his max contract more.
David has to say that to retain any semblance of leverage over teams trying to charge us 3 1st round picks for a center.
He only wants us because we are the only team that can offer a full max. That's it. He turned down an extension last year for this very reason. He's trying to shop around the league for a max.
He hasn't played a like a MAX player should, but only wants to stay for a MAX contract.
If things were really that simple. He have taken a 1+1 to try drum up his value again next year... But he doesn't want to stay here anymore than he's already contractually obligated to stay here unless it's at a rate that other aren't able to pay.
He's going to leave here and take that pay cut to play elsewhere. It's not even like we are low balling him ugly. The offer we've given him is still an overpay imo.