The Charlotte Hornets are reportedly discussing a four-year extension with Cody Zeller but rival teams are monitoring the situation closely.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, the Charlotte Hornets are in talks with Cody Zeller for a four-year extension. The news comes as the big man is entering his fourth and final season of his rookie deal. Woj also indicated that rival teams are watching the situation closely.

The NBA rumor guru tweeted that “If no Zeller extension, teams may be aggressive on offer sheets. Many privately wonder how far Michael Jordan will take Charlotte payroll.” This situation has been talked about in the past from fans and media members alike surrounding the Hornets’ team. While Cody has been a good player, the inflation of NBA salaries has many unclear what Zeller’s deal would look like.

The former University of Indiana player is in the final year of his rookie deal that was signed when the Hornets selected him with the fourth overall pick in 2013. He will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season with rival teams able to sign Cody to an offer sheet that Charlotte has the option to match. The team would ideally like to get a deal done before he enters restricted free agency.

Charlotte would like to commit long-term to the 24-year old big man but they want to avoid overpaying him. After a career-year last season, Zeller’s market value soared as he was able to showcase his development and skill set. When Al Jefferson went down with injury, Cody got the starting center spot with the Hornets.

So far in 2016, Roy Hibbert has taken over the starting five role but Zeller has been an important piece to the team. Cody has also started one of the team’s first three games. Even if he doesn’t start for Charlotte, Zeller is a key player for them with his production with the second unit.

The 7’0 big man averaged 8.7 points per game, 6.2 rebounds per game, and 0.9 blocks per game last season with the Hornets. He played in 73 games, starting 60, and averaging 24.3 minutes per game. He also shot 52.9% from the field. Zeller has been improving both his offensive and defensive game over the course of his career.

With teams from around the league interested in Cody, the Charlotte Hornets need to get a deal done soon if they want to ward them off. This is an interesting situation that needs to be closely watched. We will update with more news when available.