NBA top 20 Free Agents for the week of July 28th. You can see Scott's other sports coverage in the sports section at www.Nutzworld.com.
1: Emeka Okafor it appears that Okafor doesn’t want to stay and the Bobcats are looking for a sign and trade. They are far off on contract negotiations and Okafor could eventually take the one year tender offer and become a free agent next season.
2: Josh Smith appears to be heading out of Atlanta. Two teams are in the running for a sign and trade for him. This would be the wrong move for Atlanta, they need to re-sign him and if that means they have to overpay for him, they need to do it. After losing Josh Childress for nothing, they need some form of PR bump and bringing Smith back is what they need at this time.
3: Andre Iguodala would be hire but because of his restricted status, he's staying here. It looks like Philly will do everything they can to re-sign him.
4: Loul Deng is also one of the players that should have taken the contract that was offered last year. He had an off year this past season and needs to prove that he will rebound from it before any team is going to spend big money on him. He will either reach a deal with the Bulls this summer or take the qualifying offer.
5: Ben Gordon has to feel like an idiot right now. Because of bad advice last year, he turned down a $50 million deal that was way above market value. He will be lucky to get a full midlevel and will most likely take the 1 year tender and stay with the Bulls or be included in a sign and trade.
6: Nenad Krstic would be much higher on this list except for a knee injury that really derailed him and made him look very ineffective when he returned. He has a good offensive feel and should take the one year tender with the Nets so that he can get fully healthy and work himself back into a bigger deal next season. The 76ers are rumored to be interested in him.
7: Jannero Pargo had an excellent run with the Hornets this past season and will try to cash in. The problem is that teams know that he's instant offense off the bench but not much else. It would be smart for him and extent his career if he stays in New Orleans where he can backup Chris Paul even if he has to take less money.
8: Louis Williams had an excellent year with the 76ers and should get a look from some teams but his restricted status could scare a few people away. Look for him to sign a decent deal with Philadelphia.
9: Kwame Brown will find someone to pay him. He has size and he can play defense but his offense is atrocious. He has been linked to the Jazz and Heat this off-season where he could come off the bench to provide inside defense for 20 minutes a night. Look for someone to give him part of their mid-level exception.
10: Ricky Davis is another player that some teams will just stay away from. While he has tried hard to change the league feeling of him being a head case, not every team is buying it. The Heat have been rumored to be willing to take him back at the veteran minimum, if he can find a bigger deal anywhere, look for him to take it.
11: Carlos Arroyo isn’t very well respected around the league but put together a good year as a backup in Orlando and that should land him with a team this season.
12: JR Smith would be higher on the list if he had matured some while in the league. He is an amazing 3 point shooter and is instant offense off the bench but gets burnt on the defensive end. He is a head case though and can be a distraction in the locker-room.
13: Devean George is the best unrestricted SF on the market and falls to the third tier SF behind Corey Maggette and James Posey. He provides defense and can hit threes at times. He has slowed down a lot but could still be a good reserve defensive stopper off the bench.
14: Jason Williams can still run a team but his minutes should be limited and he must avoid injury. He would be a perfect fit as a backup PG on a veteran team like Phoenix or San Antonio.
15: Michael Finley is most likely going to be retained by the Spurs but might have to look elsewhere if the Spurs decide to go for a younger player. Finley can still hit 3’s and is a great veteran to have during the playoffs.
16: Shaun Livingston could be a steal for a team willing to take a risk on him coming back healthy. It’s a big risk, high reward sort of situation because if he blooms, he could really help a team.
17: Sam Cassell is likely to sign with a team like the Suns or Nuggets. He is a coach on the floor but can kill an offense from his constant dribbling at the top of the key. His minutes should be limited but is a nice insurance policy.
18: Devin Brown is an experienced SG that is an instant offence type of player off of the bench. He has been around the league and knows how to fit in with teams.
19: PJ Brown is most likely going to retire but could be picked up mid way through the season just as he did with the Celtics this past season. He is still an asset to a team in limited minutes.
20: Alonzo Mourning is still saying he is going to play this season. He is out for another 4-6 months but hopes to make it back around the All-Star break. If healthy, Mourning can help any team he is on. He is still a great defensive stopper and can score inside. Miami appears to be the place he wants to be and would be a great lift for the Heat for the final stretch of the season.
Top 5 by position
PG
1. Jannero Pargo
2. Louis Williams
3. Carlos Arroyo
4. Jason Williams
5. Shaun Livingston
SG
1. Ben Gordon
2. Ricky Davis
3. JR Smith
4. Michael Finley
5. Devin Brown
SF
1. Andre Iguodala
2. Loul Deng
3. Devean George
4. Dorell Wright
5. Ryan Gomes
PF
1. Josh Smith
2. PJ Brown
3. Carl Landry
4. Walter Herrmann
5. Robert Horry
C
1. Emeka Okafor
2. Nenad Krstic
3. Kwame Brown
4. Alonzo Mourning
5. Francisco Elson
Recently signed players:
Antawn Jamison re-signed with the Wizards
Baron Davis signed with the Clippers
Gilbert Arenas re-signed with the Wizards
Jose Calderon re-signed with the Raptors
DeSagana Diop re-signed with the Mavericks
Beno Udrih re-signed with the Kings
Chris Duhon signed with the Knicks
Gerald Green signed with the Mavericks
Elton Brand signed with the 76ers
Corey Maggette signed with the Warriors
Mickael Pietrus singed with the Magic
James Jones signed with the Heat
Ronnie Turiaf signed with the Warriors
Roger Mason signed with the Spurs
Brent Barry has signed with the Rockets
Patrick O’Bryant has singed with the Celtics
Jarvis Hays has signed with the Nets
Antoine Wright, Keith McLeod and James Singleton all signed with the Mavericks
Dee Brown signed with the Wizards
Eduardo Najera signed with the Nets
James Posey singed with the Hornets
Tyrone Lue singed with the Bucks
Daniel Gibson re-signed with the Cavs
Kelena Azubuike had had his offer sheet matched by the Warriors
Craig Smith has re-singed with the Timberwolves
CJ Miles has singed an offer sheet with the Thunder, the Jazz have 7 days to match.
Keyon Dooling was signed and traded to the Nets
Rodney White signed with Maccebi Elite and joins former NBA players Marcus Fizer and Esteban Batista there.
Juan Carlos Navarro signed with Barcelona
Carlos Delfino signed with Khimki BC in Russia
Jorge Garbajosa signed with Khimki BC in Russia
Malik Allen signed with the Bucks
Boston Nachbar signed with Dynamo Moscow in Russia
Matt Barnes signed with the Suns
Tony Allen and Eddie House resigned with the Suns
Primoz Brezec signed with Virtus Roma in Rome
Josh Childress singed with Olympiakos in Greece
Kurt Thomas resigned with the Spurs
Sebastan Telfair resigned with the Timberwolves
Maurice Evans singed with the Hawks
Loren Woods signed with Zalgiris Kaunas of Euroleague
Royal Ivey signed with the 76ers
Chris Anderson signed with the Nuggets
Monta Ellis resigned with the Warriors
Dahntay Jones signed with Denver
Andris Biendrins resigned with the Warriors
Sasha Vujacic resigned with the Lakers
Ryan Hollins resigned with the Bobcats
Scott Church has been an NBA freelance writer for more than six years. He resides in Utah and you can contact him at Scottshoops@yahoo.com.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
NBA Top 20 July 16th
The Top 20 is updated each Wednesday and look for free agency news and stories every Friday. You can now find Scott’s sports look on www.Nutzworld.net in the sports section.
1: Emeka Okafor is a beast on the boards and defensive end. The problem is he has been in Charlotte on a very bad team where he has often had to carry the load. If he could go to a team like the Jazz where he could concentrate on Defense and Rebounding, you would see his numbers increase and he would have the best year of his career. It's a good bet that he takes the one year tender to be un-restricted next year, otherwise he could get himself locked into the Bobcats organization for the next few years.
2: Josh Smith is a hugely talented player that hopefully one day will be able to maximize that ability. I don't know if it's because he has been in Atlanta and not had the best coach or what, but this guy is a bit of a head case and that needs to be reeled in for him to become the player that many want him to be. Philadelphia is the most likely suitor besides Atlanta. Look for the 76ers to offer him a deal with it loaded up front so that the Hawks will be less likely to match.
3: Andre Iguodala would be hire but because of his restricted status, he's staying here. It looks like Philly will do everything they can to re-sign him.
4: Andris Biedrins fits with almost any team in the league, being able to provide energy around the basket. Look for the Warriors to match any deal and for him to take the one year tender. With the Warriors now having more cap room with Davis leaving, look for them to lock him up long term as long as he doesn't overestimate his value.
5: Monta Ellis is one of the most exciting young PG/SG in the league but at the same time might be pricing himself out of a contract, thinking he is better than he actually is. He wants 10 Mil a year which is ridiculous for someone that can't even run a team full time. The Warriors should lock him up now with Baron gone but can Monta even run the team?
6: James Posey is going to cash in off of his championship runs with the Celtics and Heat. He is now known as that defensive stopper off the bench that has great leadership abilities. Look for someone to give him a full midlevel exception with the Pistons likely to get him.
7: Loul Deng is also one of the players that should have taken the contract that was offered last year. He had an off year this past season and needs to prove that he will rebound from it before any team is going to spend big money on him. He will either reach a deal with the Bulls this summer or take the qualifying offer.
8: Ben Gordon has to feel like an idiot right now. Because of bad advice last year, he turned down a $50 million deal that was way above market value. He will be lucky to get a full midlevel and will most likely take the 1 year tender and stay with the Bulls or be included in a sign and trade.
9: Nenad Krstic would be much higher on this list except for a knee injury that really derailed him and made him look very ineffective when he returned. He has a good offensive feel and should take the one year tender with the Nets so that he can get fully healthy and work himself back into a bigger deal next season. The 76ers are rumored to be interested in him.
10: Kurt Thomas is an excellent pickup for any team needing a tough inside presence. He will most likely re-sign with the Spurs.
11: Josh Childress is an excellent sixth man and will most likely return to the Hawks but would be an amazing fit for the Jazz or Suns. He will have to wait till his Hawks teammate Josh Smith finds a home before someone starts looking at him seriously.
12: Jannero Pargo had an excellent run with the Hornets this past season and will try to cash in. The problem is that teams know that he's instant offense off the bench but not much else. It would be smart for him and extent his career if he stays in New Orleans where he can backup Chris Paul even if he has to take less money.
13: Louis Williams had an excellent year with the 76ers and should get a look from some teams but his restricted status could scare a few people away. Look for him to sign a decent deal with Philadelphia.
14: Kwame Brown will find someone to pay him. He has size and he can play defense but his offense is atrocious. He has been linked to the Jazz and Heat this off-season where he could come off the bench to provide inside defense for 20 minutes a night. Look for someone to give him part of their mid-level exception.
15: Ricky Davis is another player that some teams will just stay away from. While he has tried hard to change the league feeling of him being a head case, not every team is buying it. The Heat have been rumored to be willing to take him back at the veteran minimum, if he can find a bigger deal anywhere, look for him to take it.
16: Tyrone Lue should make his decisions between the Celtics and the Suns sometime before the end of the week. He could also go with the Heat because of the draw of south beach. Miami is rumored to be going after Jason Williams though.
17: Daniel Gibson is going to re-sign with the Cavs even if it’s just for the one year tender. He is looking for a big contract but there isn’t anyone that is going to give him one right now knowing that the Cavs will match.
18: Keyon Dooling is a great combo guard that looks to land in Miami or back with the Magic. He can start or come off the bench and will be a great addition to whatever team he joins.
19: Carlos Arroyo isn’t very well respected around the league but put together a good year as a backup in Orlando and that should land him with a team this season.
20: Boston Nachbar wants to stay with the Cavs and is a good shooter off of the bench. Other teams might give him a strong look as there aren’t many shooters let in free agency.
Top 5 by position
PG
1. Monta Ellis
2. Jannero Pargo
3. Louis Williams
4. Tyron Lue
5. Daniel Gibson
SG
1. Ben Gordon
2. Ricky Davis
3. Keyon Dooling
4. Sasha Vujacic
5. Carlos Delfino
SF
1. Andre Iguodala
2. James Posey
3. Loul Deng
4. Josh Childress
5. Boston Nachbar
PF
1. Josh Smith
2. Craig Smith
3. Carl Landry
4. Walter Herrrmann
5. Robert Horry
C
1. Emeka Okafor
2. Andris Biendrins
3. Nenad Krstic
4. Kurt Thomas
5. Kwame Brown
Recently signed players:
Antawn Jamison re-signed with the Wizards
Baron Davis signed with the Clippers
Gilbert Arenas re-signed with the Wizards
Jose Calderon re-signed with the Raptors
DeSagana Diop re-signed with the Mavericks
Beno Udrih re-signed with the Kings
Chris Duhon signed with the Knicks
Gerald Green signed with the Mavericks
Elton Brand signed with the 76ers
Corey Maggette signed with the Warriors
Mickael Pietrus singed with the Magic
James Jones signed with the Heat
Ronnie Turiaf signed an offer sheet with the Warriors, the Lakers have 7 days to match
Roger Mason signed with the Spurs
Brent Barry has signed with the Rockets
Patrick O’Bryant has singed with the Celtics
Jarvis Hays has signed with the Nets
Antoine Wright, Keith McLeod and James Singleton all signed with the Mavericks
Dee Brown signed with the Wizards
Eduardo Najera signed with the Nets
1: Emeka Okafor is a beast on the boards and defensive end. The problem is he has been in Charlotte on a very bad team where he has often had to carry the load. If he could go to a team like the Jazz where he could concentrate on Defense and Rebounding, you would see his numbers increase and he would have the best year of his career. It's a good bet that he takes the one year tender to be un-restricted next year, otherwise he could get himself locked into the Bobcats organization for the next few years.
2: Josh Smith is a hugely talented player that hopefully one day will be able to maximize that ability. I don't know if it's because he has been in Atlanta and not had the best coach or what, but this guy is a bit of a head case and that needs to be reeled in for him to become the player that many want him to be. Philadelphia is the most likely suitor besides Atlanta. Look for the 76ers to offer him a deal with it loaded up front so that the Hawks will be less likely to match.
3: Andre Iguodala would be hire but because of his restricted status, he's staying here. It looks like Philly will do everything they can to re-sign him.
4: Andris Biedrins fits with almost any team in the league, being able to provide energy around the basket. Look for the Warriors to match any deal and for him to take the one year tender. With the Warriors now having more cap room with Davis leaving, look for them to lock him up long term as long as he doesn't overestimate his value.
5: Monta Ellis is one of the most exciting young PG/SG in the league but at the same time might be pricing himself out of a contract, thinking he is better than he actually is. He wants 10 Mil a year which is ridiculous for someone that can't even run a team full time. The Warriors should lock him up now with Baron gone but can Monta even run the team?
6: James Posey is going to cash in off of his championship runs with the Celtics and Heat. He is now known as that defensive stopper off the bench that has great leadership abilities. Look for someone to give him a full midlevel exception with the Pistons likely to get him.
7: Loul Deng is also one of the players that should have taken the contract that was offered last year. He had an off year this past season and needs to prove that he will rebound from it before any team is going to spend big money on him. He will either reach a deal with the Bulls this summer or take the qualifying offer.
8: Ben Gordon has to feel like an idiot right now. Because of bad advice last year, he turned down a $50 million deal that was way above market value. He will be lucky to get a full midlevel and will most likely take the 1 year tender and stay with the Bulls or be included in a sign and trade.
9: Nenad Krstic would be much higher on this list except for a knee injury that really derailed him and made him look very ineffective when he returned. He has a good offensive feel and should take the one year tender with the Nets so that he can get fully healthy and work himself back into a bigger deal next season. The 76ers are rumored to be interested in him.
10: Kurt Thomas is an excellent pickup for any team needing a tough inside presence. He will most likely re-sign with the Spurs.
11: Josh Childress is an excellent sixth man and will most likely return to the Hawks but would be an amazing fit for the Jazz or Suns. He will have to wait till his Hawks teammate Josh Smith finds a home before someone starts looking at him seriously.
12: Jannero Pargo had an excellent run with the Hornets this past season and will try to cash in. The problem is that teams know that he's instant offense off the bench but not much else. It would be smart for him and extent his career if he stays in New Orleans where he can backup Chris Paul even if he has to take less money.
13: Louis Williams had an excellent year with the 76ers and should get a look from some teams but his restricted status could scare a few people away. Look for him to sign a decent deal with Philadelphia.
14: Kwame Brown will find someone to pay him. He has size and he can play defense but his offense is atrocious. He has been linked to the Jazz and Heat this off-season where he could come off the bench to provide inside defense for 20 minutes a night. Look for someone to give him part of their mid-level exception.
15: Ricky Davis is another player that some teams will just stay away from. While he has tried hard to change the league feeling of him being a head case, not every team is buying it. The Heat have been rumored to be willing to take him back at the veteran minimum, if he can find a bigger deal anywhere, look for him to take it.
16: Tyrone Lue should make his decisions between the Celtics and the Suns sometime before the end of the week. He could also go with the Heat because of the draw of south beach. Miami is rumored to be going after Jason Williams though.
17: Daniel Gibson is going to re-sign with the Cavs even if it’s just for the one year tender. He is looking for a big contract but there isn’t anyone that is going to give him one right now knowing that the Cavs will match.
18: Keyon Dooling is a great combo guard that looks to land in Miami or back with the Magic. He can start or come off the bench and will be a great addition to whatever team he joins.
19: Carlos Arroyo isn’t very well respected around the league but put together a good year as a backup in Orlando and that should land him with a team this season.
20: Boston Nachbar wants to stay with the Cavs and is a good shooter off of the bench. Other teams might give him a strong look as there aren’t many shooters let in free agency.
Top 5 by position
PG
1. Monta Ellis
2. Jannero Pargo
3. Louis Williams
4. Tyron Lue
5. Daniel Gibson
SG
1. Ben Gordon
2. Ricky Davis
3. Keyon Dooling
4. Sasha Vujacic
5. Carlos Delfino
SF
1. Andre Iguodala
2. James Posey
3. Loul Deng
4. Josh Childress
5. Boston Nachbar
PF
1. Josh Smith
2. Craig Smith
3. Carl Landry
4. Walter Herrrmann
5. Robert Horry
C
1. Emeka Okafor
2. Andris Biendrins
3. Nenad Krstic
4. Kurt Thomas
5. Kwame Brown
Recently signed players:
Antawn Jamison re-signed with the Wizards
Baron Davis signed with the Clippers
Gilbert Arenas re-signed with the Wizards
Jose Calderon re-signed with the Raptors
DeSagana Diop re-signed with the Mavericks
Beno Udrih re-signed with the Kings
Chris Duhon signed with the Knicks
Gerald Green signed with the Mavericks
Elton Brand signed with the 76ers
Corey Maggette signed with the Warriors
Mickael Pietrus singed with the Magic
James Jones signed with the Heat
Ronnie Turiaf signed an offer sheet with the Warriors, the Lakers have 7 days to match
Roger Mason signed with the Spurs
Brent Barry has signed with the Rockets
Patrick O’Bryant has singed with the Celtics
Jarvis Hays has signed with the Nets
Antoine Wright, Keith McLeod and James Singleton all signed with the Mavericks
Dee Brown signed with the Wizards
Eduardo Najera signed with the Nets
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
The NBA look for July 9th
With the official kickoff to NBA signing day, the 76ers steel the best player available and land Elton Brand. Brand is the perfect PF to fit with that team and make them instant contenders in the East.
The question is what the teams that lost out on Brand are going to do. Corey Maggette saw the writing on the wall before Brand even announced his intentions and took a deal from the Warriors to play there at 5 years for 50 Mil. WHAT?! 50 Mil for 5 years for Maggette. Really?!
Maggette is a good player but not anywhere near that level. On top of that, who were the Warriors kidding offering him that much money? The only teams that had any cap room this off-season were the Clippers, Warriors, 76ers and Grizzlies. Maggette didn’t want to go back to the Clippers because he and the coach didn’t get along. The 76ers got Brand and the Grizzlies look they aren’t going to spend any of their money (which really isn’t that bad of an idea). The Warriors could have offered him a contract between 7.5-8 mil a year and it would have been the best thing he would have been offered all off-season. Instead the Warriors are paying him around 2-2.5 mil a year more than they should.
On top of that the Warriors use more of their remaining cap room to go after restricted free agent Ronnie Turiaf. WHAT?! Who is running the Warriors right now? They could have offered a minimum contract to a handful of big men and gotten what they will out of Turiaf. The contract is 4 million a year for 4 years. That is insane. It appears the reason they offered such a big deal is so that the Lakers don’t match the deal and who could blame them. That is way too much money for a backup PF/C that won’t give you anything but hustle off the bench that almost any big man in the NBDL could give them with a minimum contract.
Bad moves there Warriors, you’ll be regretting those when you could have landed Josh Smith or Emeka Okafor.
Basically after Brand, Baron Davis, Antawn Jamison and Gilbert Arenas there isn’t one player that should receive more than 10 mil in free agency this year.
Emeka Okafor and Josh Smith would be the closest to 10 mil but are both restricted and would almost need to get 10 mil a year for their previous teams not to match and keep them.
So after the Warriors and 76ers have spent most of their money already, leaving the Clippers and Grizzlies with anything more than the midlevel exception to spend on free agents.
The Clippers are now being linked to both Smith and Okafor with Smith having the best chance of being picked up. The Clippers could technically pick up both of them if they structure their contracts correctly. But that would be a bit redundant. Smith is more of a PF/SF and Okafor is more of a PF/C. They overlap a bit, so it is doubtful that they will go for both.
The bad part is the player that doesn’t get picked is missing out on the big dollars and might not get it from their current team even. This would be a hard situation to be in and so both players should be willing to work with the Clippers to get signed.
The Grizzlies appear to be sitting around waiting to see what happens and will just continue to work on developing their own players and waiting till next season to spend some cash.
It is truly amazing to see how teams that have money are willing to throw it away just because they have the money available. Can you imagine if NBA GMs were buyers on eBay and how much money sellers would profit off of them. Even if something is only decent, NBA GMs will overpay for it.
A smart GM would make offers when they should be made, like the 76ers with Elton Brand. Bad GMs make offers higher than market value for players that aren’t necessarily going to move your team into playoff contention.
Sometimes it’s better to sit it out and wait for a superstar instead of paying a good players superstar type money.
It wouldn’t be surprising if the Warriors give into Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins and give them both 10 million a year.
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In the most underrated move of the off-season, the Magic have gotten Mickael Pietrus to sign with the team. Pietrus is a great wing defender and 3 point shooter. He is also freakishly athletic and will be a great upgrade for the Magic at the 2 spot. Finally giving the team a wing defender and another 3 point threat. Look for the Magic to pick up another free agent big man and PG this summer.
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The Heat have made an offer at 4 million a year to James Jones. This is a deal that Jones should not pass up. That’s the best offer that Jones is going to get and he will be able to go to the Heat and come off the bench and not have to be the man. That’s a role that he excels at.
___________________________________________________________________
With Brand signing with the 76ers, look for Andre Iguodala to sign a long term contract with the team shortly. The 76ers will have a good nuclease for some time with Iguodala and Brand at the forward spots.
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The hot talk around Utah is that Carlos Boozer is going to opt out of his contract next season and bolt for the Heat. While that’s a disaster for the Jazz, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s true. With the Heat just drafting Michael Beasley and Udonis Haslem still on the roster, the Heat currently has 2 starting PF quality players on the roster. For Boozer to go to the Heat, it would set Beasley back and the team would have to get rid of Haslem. Unless Beasley is an utter bust, (which he isn’t and an article will be posted on this issue soon) there is no reason for Boozer to be heading to South Beach. Boozer will most likely opt out of his contract next season but should be re-signing with the Jazz on a new long term deal.
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Kurt Thomas is expected to resign with the Spurs though he is open to seeing what else is available for him.
Brent Barry is being pursued by the Suns but also could return to the Spurs. Look for him to receive the veteran minimum wherever he goes.
___________________________________________________________________
Eduardo Najera is rumored to be returning to the Nuggets but word is that the freshly moved Oklahoma (insert team nickname here) will be making a move for him.
___________________________________________________________________
With all the bigger name free agents having agreed to sign with teams look for many restricted free agents to become targets and for a player like James Posey to now find his spot. Every team that was pursing Maggette will now turn their attention towards Posey. He is clearly the next best unrestricted player on the market. The thing that scares off some teams is his age. He should be able to secure a 3 year contract from most teams but any team that is willing to pay him years 4 or 5 are really pushing it, though that is probably what he is looking for in a deal.
___________________________________________________________________
Look for many of the second tier unrestricted players to start finding homes over the next few weeks. With James Jones and Mickael Pietrus already settling in, James Posey, Ricky Davis, Brent Barry, Kurt Thomas, Jannero Pargo, Kwame Brown, Anthony Johnson, Tyronn Lue, Keyon Dooling all should find homes quickly as the big dominos have already dropped.
The question is what the teams that lost out on Brand are going to do. Corey Maggette saw the writing on the wall before Brand even announced his intentions and took a deal from the Warriors to play there at 5 years for 50 Mil. WHAT?! 50 Mil for 5 years for Maggette. Really?!
Maggette is a good player but not anywhere near that level. On top of that, who were the Warriors kidding offering him that much money? The only teams that had any cap room this off-season were the Clippers, Warriors, 76ers and Grizzlies. Maggette didn’t want to go back to the Clippers because he and the coach didn’t get along. The 76ers got Brand and the Grizzlies look they aren’t going to spend any of their money (which really isn’t that bad of an idea). The Warriors could have offered him a contract between 7.5-8 mil a year and it would have been the best thing he would have been offered all off-season. Instead the Warriors are paying him around 2-2.5 mil a year more than they should.
On top of that the Warriors use more of their remaining cap room to go after restricted free agent Ronnie Turiaf. WHAT?! Who is running the Warriors right now? They could have offered a minimum contract to a handful of big men and gotten what they will out of Turiaf. The contract is 4 million a year for 4 years. That is insane. It appears the reason they offered such a big deal is so that the Lakers don’t match the deal and who could blame them. That is way too much money for a backup PF/C that won’t give you anything but hustle off the bench that almost any big man in the NBDL could give them with a minimum contract.
Bad moves there Warriors, you’ll be regretting those when you could have landed Josh Smith or Emeka Okafor.
Basically after Brand, Baron Davis, Antawn Jamison and Gilbert Arenas there isn’t one player that should receive more than 10 mil in free agency this year.
Emeka Okafor and Josh Smith would be the closest to 10 mil but are both restricted and would almost need to get 10 mil a year for their previous teams not to match and keep them.
So after the Warriors and 76ers have spent most of their money already, leaving the Clippers and Grizzlies with anything more than the midlevel exception to spend on free agents.
The Clippers are now being linked to both Smith and Okafor with Smith having the best chance of being picked up. The Clippers could technically pick up both of them if they structure their contracts correctly. But that would be a bit redundant. Smith is more of a PF/SF and Okafor is more of a PF/C. They overlap a bit, so it is doubtful that they will go for both.
The bad part is the player that doesn’t get picked is missing out on the big dollars and might not get it from their current team even. This would be a hard situation to be in and so both players should be willing to work with the Clippers to get signed.
The Grizzlies appear to be sitting around waiting to see what happens and will just continue to work on developing their own players and waiting till next season to spend some cash.
It is truly amazing to see how teams that have money are willing to throw it away just because they have the money available. Can you imagine if NBA GMs were buyers on eBay and how much money sellers would profit off of them. Even if something is only decent, NBA GMs will overpay for it.
A smart GM would make offers when they should be made, like the 76ers with Elton Brand. Bad GMs make offers higher than market value for players that aren’t necessarily going to move your team into playoff contention.
Sometimes it’s better to sit it out and wait for a superstar instead of paying a good players superstar type money.
It wouldn’t be surprising if the Warriors give into Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins and give them both 10 million a year.
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In the most underrated move of the off-season, the Magic have gotten Mickael Pietrus to sign with the team. Pietrus is a great wing defender and 3 point shooter. He is also freakishly athletic and will be a great upgrade for the Magic at the 2 spot. Finally giving the team a wing defender and another 3 point threat. Look for the Magic to pick up another free agent big man and PG this summer.
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The Heat have made an offer at 4 million a year to James Jones. This is a deal that Jones should not pass up. That’s the best offer that Jones is going to get and he will be able to go to the Heat and come off the bench and not have to be the man. That’s a role that he excels at.
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With Brand signing with the 76ers, look for Andre Iguodala to sign a long term contract with the team shortly. The 76ers will have a good nuclease for some time with Iguodala and Brand at the forward spots.
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The hot talk around Utah is that Carlos Boozer is going to opt out of his contract next season and bolt for the Heat. While that’s a disaster for the Jazz, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s true. With the Heat just drafting Michael Beasley and Udonis Haslem still on the roster, the Heat currently has 2 starting PF quality players on the roster. For Boozer to go to the Heat, it would set Beasley back and the team would have to get rid of Haslem. Unless Beasley is an utter bust, (which he isn’t and an article will be posted on this issue soon) there is no reason for Boozer to be heading to South Beach. Boozer will most likely opt out of his contract next season but should be re-signing with the Jazz on a new long term deal.
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Kurt Thomas is expected to resign with the Spurs though he is open to seeing what else is available for him.
Brent Barry is being pursued by the Suns but also could return to the Spurs. Look for him to receive the veteran minimum wherever he goes.
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Eduardo Najera is rumored to be returning to the Nuggets but word is that the freshly moved Oklahoma (insert team nickname here) will be making a move for him.
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With all the bigger name free agents having agreed to sign with teams look for many restricted free agents to become targets and for a player like James Posey to now find his spot. Every team that was pursing Maggette will now turn their attention towards Posey. He is clearly the next best unrestricted player on the market. The thing that scares off some teams is his age. He should be able to secure a 3 year contract from most teams but any team that is willing to pay him years 4 or 5 are really pushing it, though that is probably what he is looking for in a deal.
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Look for many of the second tier unrestricted players to start finding homes over the next few weeks. With James Jones and Mickael Pietrus already settling in, James Posey, Ricky Davis, Brent Barry, Kurt Thomas, Jannero Pargo, Kwame Brown, Anthony Johnson, Tyronn Lue, Keyon Dooling all should find homes quickly as the big dominos have already dropped.
Monday, July 7, 2008
The top 20 is updated as well as player info depending on if there was any news involving the player over the past week.
Recently signed players:
Antawn Jamison re-signed with the Wizards
Baron Davis signed with the Clippers
Gilbert Arenas re-signed with the Wizards
Jose Calderon re-signed with the Raptors
DeSagana Diop re-signed with the Mavericks
Beno Udrih re-signed with the Kings
Chris Duhon signed with the Knicks
Gerald Green signed with the Mavericks
If there is one thing apparent by this off-season is that there is a plethora of SF but a lack of depth at almost every other position. The other problem is that so many of the good free agents are restricted free agents, slowing the off-season down to a crawl after it’s initial bang. The other trend is for teams to offer starters money for average PGs. With B. Davis, Arenas, Calderon, Udrih and Duhon off the market, the next wave of PGs are all young and inexperienced or near the end of their careers. But teams are still going to overpay for someone they like.
1: Elton Brand: Brand sits with an offer from the Clippers and Warriors on the table. He will re-sign with the Warriors but is taking his time so that it doesn’t look so much like he and Baron Davis had this planned out for some time.
2: Emeka Okafor: This guy is a beast on the boards and defensive end. The problem is he has been in Charlotte on a very bad team where he has often had to carry the load. If he could go to a team like the Jazz where he could concentrate on Defense and Rebounding, you would see his numbers increase and he would have the best year of his career. It’s a good bet that he takes the one year tender to be un-restricted next year, otherwise he could get himself locked into the Bobcats organization for the next few years.
3: Josh Smith is a hugely talented player that hopefully one day will be able to maximize that ability. I don’t know if it’s because he has been in Atlanta and not had the best coach or what, but this guy is a bit of a head case and that needs to be reeled in for him to become the player that many want him to be. Philadelphia is the most likely suitor besides Atlanta. Look for the 76ers to offer him a deal with it loaded up front so that the Hawks will be less likely to match.
4: Corey Maggette: Maggette has offers on the table but will go with the Spurs. He knows that he would fit perfectly with them, offering offence at the SF position and boosting a team that looks like it is getting older and giving it some athleticism.
5: Andre Iguodala would be hire but because of his restricted status, he’s staying here. It looks like Philly will do everything they can to re-sign him.
6: Andris Biedrins fits with almost any team in the league, being able to provide energy around the basket. Look for the Warriors to match any deal and for him to take the one year tender. With the Warriors now having more cap room with Davis leaving, look for them to lock him up long term as long as he doesn’t overestimate his value.
7: Monta Ellis is one of the most exciting young PG/SG in the league but at the same time might be pricing himself out of a contract, thinking he is better than he actually is. He wants 10 Mil a year which is ridiculous for someone that can’t even run a team full time. The Warriors should lock him up now with Baron gone but can Monta even run the team?
8: James Posey is going to cash in off of his championship runs with the Celtics and Heat. He is now known as that defensive stopper off the bench that has great leadership abilities. Look for someone to give him a full midlevel exception with the Pistons likely to get him.
9: Loul Deng is also one of the players that should have taken the contract that was offered last year. He had an off year this past season and needs to prove that he will rebound from it before any team is going to spend big money on him. He will either reach a deal with the Bulls this summer or take the qualifying offer.
10: Ben Gordon has to feel like an idiot right now. Because of bad advice last year, he turned down a $50 million deal that was way above market value. He will be lucky to get a full midlevel and will most likely take the 1 year tender and stay with the Bulls or be included in a sign and trade.
11: Nenad Krstic would be much higher on this list except for a knee injury that really derailed him and made him look very ineffective when he returned. He has a good offensive feel and should take the one year tender with the Nets so that he can get fully healthy and work himself back into a bigger deal next season. The 76ers are rumored to be interested in him.
12: Kurt Thomas is an excellent pickup for any team needing a tough inside presence. He will most likely re-sign with the Spurs.
13: Josh Childress is an excellent sixth man and will most likely return to the Hawks but would be an amazing fit for the Jazz or Suns. He will have to wait till his Hawks teammate Josh Smith finds a home before someone starts looking at him seriously.
14: Mickael Pietrus will be a steal for whoever gets him because it’s most likely he won’t get a full midlevel. Some teams knowing they don’t have the money to go after the bigger free agents should try to get him on their team. Another excellent addition to either the Suns, Spurs or Jazz.
15: Brent Barry might be getting up there in age but like he showed in the playoffs, he can still hit the three and can get a team back into a game through his efforts. Look for the Spurs to re-sign him.
16: James Jones had an excellent year with the Blazers coming off the bench at both SF and PF. He is an excellent 3 point shooter and was used in a role that best suits his style of play. The Pistons are taking a long look at him and it is unlikely that he returns to an already stacked Blazers team.
17: Jannero Pargo had an excellent run with the Hornets this past season and will try to cash in. The problem is that teams know that he’s instant offense off the bench but not much else. It would be smart for him and extent his career if he stays in New Orleans where he can backup Chris Paul even if he has to take less money.
18: Louis Williams had an excellent year with the 76ers and should get a look from some teams but his restricted status could scare a few people away. Look for him to sign a decent deal with Philadelphia.
19: Kwame Brown will find someone to pay him. He has size and he can play defense but his offense is atrocious. He has been linked to the Jazz this off-season where he could come off the bench to provide inside defense for 20 minutes a night. Look for someone to give him part of their mid-level exception.
20: Ricky Davis is another player that some teams will just stay away from. While he has tried hard to change the league feeling of him being a head case, not every team is buying it. The Heat have been rumored to be willing to take him back at the veteran minimum, if he can find a bigger deal anywhere, look for him to take it.
Top 5 by position
PG
1. Monta Ellis
2. Jannero Pargo
3. Louis Williams
4. Anthony Johnson
5. Tyronn Lue
SG
1. Ben Gordon
2. Brent Barry
3. Ricky Davis
4. Keyon Dooling
5. Sasha Vujacic
SF
1. Corey Maggette
2. Andre Iguodala
3. James Posey
4. Loul Deng
5. Josh Childress
PF
1. Elton Brand
2. Josh Smith
3. James Jones
4. Eduardo Najera
5. Ronnie Turiaf
C
1. Emeka Okafor
2. Andris Biendrins
3. Nenad Krstic
4. Kurt Thomas
5. Kwame Brown
Recently signed players:
Antawn Jamison re-signed with the Wizards
Baron Davis signed with the Clippers
Gilbert Arenas re-signed with the Wizards
Jose Calderon re-signed with the Raptors
DeSagana Diop re-signed with the Mavericks
Beno Udrih re-signed with the Kings
Chris Duhon signed with the Knicks
Gerald Green signed with the Mavericks
If there is one thing apparent by this off-season is that there is a plethora of SF but a lack of depth at almost every other position. The other problem is that so many of the good free agents are restricted free agents, slowing the off-season down to a crawl after it’s initial bang. The other trend is for teams to offer starters money for average PGs. With B. Davis, Arenas, Calderon, Udrih and Duhon off the market, the next wave of PGs are all young and inexperienced or near the end of their careers. But teams are still going to overpay for someone they like.
1: Elton Brand: Brand sits with an offer from the Clippers and Warriors on the table. He will re-sign with the Warriors but is taking his time so that it doesn’t look so much like he and Baron Davis had this planned out for some time.
2: Emeka Okafor: This guy is a beast on the boards and defensive end. The problem is he has been in Charlotte on a very bad team where he has often had to carry the load. If he could go to a team like the Jazz where he could concentrate on Defense and Rebounding, you would see his numbers increase and he would have the best year of his career. It’s a good bet that he takes the one year tender to be un-restricted next year, otherwise he could get himself locked into the Bobcats organization for the next few years.
3: Josh Smith is a hugely talented player that hopefully one day will be able to maximize that ability. I don’t know if it’s because he has been in Atlanta and not had the best coach or what, but this guy is a bit of a head case and that needs to be reeled in for him to become the player that many want him to be. Philadelphia is the most likely suitor besides Atlanta. Look for the 76ers to offer him a deal with it loaded up front so that the Hawks will be less likely to match.
4: Corey Maggette: Maggette has offers on the table but will go with the Spurs. He knows that he would fit perfectly with them, offering offence at the SF position and boosting a team that looks like it is getting older and giving it some athleticism.
5: Andre Iguodala would be hire but because of his restricted status, he’s staying here. It looks like Philly will do everything they can to re-sign him.
6: Andris Biedrins fits with almost any team in the league, being able to provide energy around the basket. Look for the Warriors to match any deal and for him to take the one year tender. With the Warriors now having more cap room with Davis leaving, look for them to lock him up long term as long as he doesn’t overestimate his value.
7: Monta Ellis is one of the most exciting young PG/SG in the league but at the same time might be pricing himself out of a contract, thinking he is better than he actually is. He wants 10 Mil a year which is ridiculous for someone that can’t even run a team full time. The Warriors should lock him up now with Baron gone but can Monta even run the team?
8: James Posey is going to cash in off of his championship runs with the Celtics and Heat. He is now known as that defensive stopper off the bench that has great leadership abilities. Look for someone to give him a full midlevel exception with the Pistons likely to get him.
9: Loul Deng is also one of the players that should have taken the contract that was offered last year. He had an off year this past season and needs to prove that he will rebound from it before any team is going to spend big money on him. He will either reach a deal with the Bulls this summer or take the qualifying offer.
10: Ben Gordon has to feel like an idiot right now. Because of bad advice last year, he turned down a $50 million deal that was way above market value. He will be lucky to get a full midlevel and will most likely take the 1 year tender and stay with the Bulls or be included in a sign and trade.
11: Nenad Krstic would be much higher on this list except for a knee injury that really derailed him and made him look very ineffective when he returned. He has a good offensive feel and should take the one year tender with the Nets so that he can get fully healthy and work himself back into a bigger deal next season. The 76ers are rumored to be interested in him.
12: Kurt Thomas is an excellent pickup for any team needing a tough inside presence. He will most likely re-sign with the Spurs.
13: Josh Childress is an excellent sixth man and will most likely return to the Hawks but would be an amazing fit for the Jazz or Suns. He will have to wait till his Hawks teammate Josh Smith finds a home before someone starts looking at him seriously.
14: Mickael Pietrus will be a steal for whoever gets him because it’s most likely he won’t get a full midlevel. Some teams knowing they don’t have the money to go after the bigger free agents should try to get him on their team. Another excellent addition to either the Suns, Spurs or Jazz.
15: Brent Barry might be getting up there in age but like he showed in the playoffs, he can still hit the three and can get a team back into a game through his efforts. Look for the Spurs to re-sign him.
16: James Jones had an excellent year with the Blazers coming off the bench at both SF and PF. He is an excellent 3 point shooter and was used in a role that best suits his style of play. The Pistons are taking a long look at him and it is unlikely that he returns to an already stacked Blazers team.
17: Jannero Pargo had an excellent run with the Hornets this past season and will try to cash in. The problem is that teams know that he’s instant offense off the bench but not much else. It would be smart for him and extent his career if he stays in New Orleans where he can backup Chris Paul even if he has to take less money.
18: Louis Williams had an excellent year with the 76ers and should get a look from some teams but his restricted status could scare a few people away. Look for him to sign a decent deal with Philadelphia.
19: Kwame Brown will find someone to pay him. He has size and he can play defense but his offense is atrocious. He has been linked to the Jazz this off-season where he could come off the bench to provide inside defense for 20 minutes a night. Look for someone to give him part of their mid-level exception.
20: Ricky Davis is another player that some teams will just stay away from. While he has tried hard to change the league feeling of him being a head case, not every team is buying it. The Heat have been rumored to be willing to take him back at the veteran minimum, if he can find a bigger deal anywhere, look for him to take it.
Top 5 by position
PG
1. Monta Ellis
2. Jannero Pargo
3. Louis Williams
4. Anthony Johnson
5. Tyronn Lue
SG
1. Ben Gordon
2. Brent Barry
3. Ricky Davis
4. Keyon Dooling
5. Sasha Vujacic
SF
1. Corey Maggette
2. Andre Iguodala
3. James Posey
4. Loul Deng
5. Josh Childress
PF
1. Elton Brand
2. Josh Smith
3. James Jones
4. Eduardo Najera
5. Ronnie Turiaf
C
1. Emeka Okafor
2. Andris Biendrins
3. Nenad Krstic
4. Kurt Thomas
5. Kwame Brown
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Free Agent Frenzy
Within the last 48 hours, the free agent market has been burning up and already their have been some signings that have changed the landscape of the NBA.
First off the PG market has exploded with Jose Calderon resigning with the Raptors and Beno Udrih resigning with the Kings.
Baron Davis has made the biggest noise in free agency by opting out of his last year with the Warriors and going to the LA Clippers. This was obviously a move that he had talked to Elton Brand about as both unexpetedly opted out of the last year of their deals with their respected teams. This obviously was so that Davis would be able to sign with the Clippers as a free agent and then Brand would just resign with the team. This suddenly changes the landscape of both the Clippers and Warriors.
The Clippers are basically set now at PG/PF/C and will be looking to add depth now through veteran minimum singings, so they will continue to stay quite through the rest of free agency, just picking up leftover players when available. It's safe to say that Shaun Livingstons time in LA is done.
The Warriors now have a lot of cap room and can resign some of their own free agents. Monta Ellis is now a lock to return to the team and Andris Biendrins could get a long term deal. This also gives them a lot of money to go after any other free agent they may want to target on the market. Look for them to make one last run at Gilbert Arenas, but Arenas will most likely return to the Wizards.
This also is good for every other free agent PG on the market, instead of having a tier 1 then 2 and so forth of players, that tier is already moved to 2. Level 2 guys are you best chance now if you need a PG increasing the money they could receive as their could be more urgency there. In the mean time, most of the players left at PG are going to be backup PGs at best and so they should not get paid more than what they are worth. But this is the NBA and that happens more often than not.
Other News and Notes
Dallas has signed Gerald Green to a one year deal. He might not even make it to training camp with the team but he is at least worth the risk to see if he has worked on his game in the off season. It's rumored that they will also sign DeSagana Diop to a large 5 year deal using the full midlevel exception. Matt Barnes has been rumored to be heading to Dallas but if they use their full midlevel on Diop, it will be interesting to see if Barnes is happy taking the minimum to play.
Deron Williams doesn’t look like he is in a hurry to sign a new contract with the Jazz and that should really scare Jazz fans. Deron still has a chance of leaving the Jazz and that would destroy the franchise. It really depends on where the Jazz are at the end of next season and if Deron is happy with the results.
The next group of young PGs that teams are interested in include Chris Duhon (Linked to almost every team in the NBA with the Knicks most likely to sign him), Monta Ellis (a lock to get a long term deal from the Warriros), Shaun Livingston (a huge risk if he will return to pre-injury playing condition), Sebastian Telfair (Miami) and Jannero Pargo (Nuggets and a return to the Hornets).
There is also a group of veteran PGs that could also be part time starters incase of injury. This group includes Jason Williams (Magic), Damon Stoudamire, Sam Cassell (linked to Denver and a return to Boston), Tyronn Lue (Suns and Miami), Carlos Arroyo (Denver linked) and Anthony Johnson (Suns).
The Jazz are looking for backup Cs and wingmen. Ronny Turiaf and Kwame Brown have drawn interest as well as Devean George and James Posey. If the Jazz really want to swing for the fences and make a bold move, try to steal Omeka Okafor away from the Bobcats, offer him a big deal and see if they would match. He would be a perfect fit with the Jazz’s system, finally giving the team a big man that is willing to rebound and defend the paint. It would allow Okur to come off the bench and fit in at either PF when Boozer sits or C when Okafor is out.
The Suns have been linked to back up PGs like Lue and Johnson. Both would be a great boost to depth of the team. Also look for them to pick up a SF if one falls into their laps and a backup big. It is likely they will not spend their midlevel exception and will just be looking for minimum salary players.
Boston has made offers for both James Posey and Corey Maggette and are just waiting to see which one takes the offer. They have also had fan favorite Chris Anderson in. He could easily take the place of Scot Pollard on the end of the bench.
First off the PG market has exploded with Jose Calderon resigning with the Raptors and Beno Udrih resigning with the Kings.
Baron Davis has made the biggest noise in free agency by opting out of his last year with the Warriors and going to the LA Clippers. This was obviously a move that he had talked to Elton Brand about as both unexpetedly opted out of the last year of their deals with their respected teams. This obviously was so that Davis would be able to sign with the Clippers as a free agent and then Brand would just resign with the team. This suddenly changes the landscape of both the Clippers and Warriors.
The Clippers are basically set now at PG/PF/C and will be looking to add depth now through veteran minimum singings, so they will continue to stay quite through the rest of free agency, just picking up leftover players when available. It's safe to say that Shaun Livingstons time in LA is done.
The Warriors now have a lot of cap room and can resign some of their own free agents. Monta Ellis is now a lock to return to the team and Andris Biendrins could get a long term deal. This also gives them a lot of money to go after any other free agent they may want to target on the market. Look for them to make one last run at Gilbert Arenas, but Arenas will most likely return to the Wizards.
This also is good for every other free agent PG on the market, instead of having a tier 1 then 2 and so forth of players, that tier is already moved to 2. Level 2 guys are you best chance now if you need a PG increasing the money they could receive as their could be more urgency there. In the mean time, most of the players left at PG are going to be backup PGs at best and so they should not get paid more than what they are worth. But this is the NBA and that happens more often than not.
Other News and Notes
Dallas has signed Gerald Green to a one year deal. He might not even make it to training camp with the team but he is at least worth the risk to see if he has worked on his game in the off season. It's rumored that they will also sign DeSagana Diop to a large 5 year deal using the full midlevel exception. Matt Barnes has been rumored to be heading to Dallas but if they use their full midlevel on Diop, it will be interesting to see if Barnes is happy taking the minimum to play.
Deron Williams doesn’t look like he is in a hurry to sign a new contract with the Jazz and that should really scare Jazz fans. Deron still has a chance of leaving the Jazz and that would destroy the franchise. It really depends on where the Jazz are at the end of next season and if Deron is happy with the results.
The next group of young PGs that teams are interested in include Chris Duhon (Linked to almost every team in the NBA with the Knicks most likely to sign him), Monta Ellis (a lock to get a long term deal from the Warriros), Shaun Livingston (a huge risk if he will return to pre-injury playing condition), Sebastian Telfair (Miami) and Jannero Pargo (Nuggets and a return to the Hornets).
There is also a group of veteran PGs that could also be part time starters incase of injury. This group includes Jason Williams (Magic), Damon Stoudamire, Sam Cassell (linked to Denver and a return to Boston), Tyronn Lue (Suns and Miami), Carlos Arroyo (Denver linked) and Anthony Johnson (Suns).
The Jazz are looking for backup Cs and wingmen. Ronny Turiaf and Kwame Brown have drawn interest as well as Devean George and James Posey. If the Jazz really want to swing for the fences and make a bold move, try to steal Omeka Okafor away from the Bobcats, offer him a big deal and see if they would match. He would be a perfect fit with the Jazz’s system, finally giving the team a big man that is willing to rebound and defend the paint. It would allow Okur to come off the bench and fit in at either PF when Boozer sits or C when Okafor is out.
The Suns have been linked to back up PGs like Lue and Johnson. Both would be a great boost to depth of the team. Also look for them to pick up a SF if one falls into their laps and a backup big. It is likely they will not spend their midlevel exception and will just be looking for minimum salary players.
Boston has made offers for both James Posey and Corey Maggette and are just waiting to see which one takes the offer. They have also had fan favorite Chris Anderson in. He could easily take the place of Scot Pollard on the end of the bench.
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