Where is the biggest free agent class all going?
I mention the summer of 2010 and what do you think? If you’re an NBA enthusiast, then there’s only one thing on your mind. The monster free agent class of the summer of 2010.
There are a ton of good players on the market but there are several free agent prizes that teams are just itching to gobble up. From the superstars to the below the radar fringe stars, this class is packed with difference making players.
Let’s start with my top 15 free agents working in countdown form, where they will go and a few wild card places for them to choose.
15. Michael Redd, Shooting Guard, Milwaukee Bucks- Remember when Cleveland Cavaliers General Manager Danny Ferry courted Redd like he was going to be LeBron’s Scottie Pippen? Well Redd took the max contract and “the opportunity to help build something in Milwaukee.”
Do you think he regrets it now? After two major knee surgeries and not even remotely helping the Bucks to the playoffs I bet he does. With those creaky knees Redd will not be courted like years ago but with his sweet “J” behind the three point line he still has a chance to be something on a contender.
Possible Destination – San Antonio Spurs – They need a three point threat like Bruce Bowen or Brent Barry in years past.
14. Shaquille O’Neal, Center, Cleveland Cavaliers- No he is probably not a starter anymore but he could play a bigger part in a way to the New Jersey Nets. The Big Diesel could help further Brook Lopez’s development. Lopez is arguably the best overall center in the Eastern Conference and who better to help in the development of a great young cornerstone in one of the greatest of all time?
The chance he goes to help develop Lopez is the only reason why he is on this list.
Possible Destination – New Jersey Nets – Shaq will probably follow the money as always but the Nets are an intriguing option.
13. Tracy McGrady, Shooting Guard, New York Knicks- Teams and fans have a fascination with his scoring abilities and for good reason. But he cannot do much else and he too is another injury risk. He has had microfracture surgery in his balky knee twice and has other minor procedures performed on it. He was traded to the New York Knicks at the trade deadline and if healthy will fit in with coach Mike D’Antoni’s system. He wanted the move and was finally granted it so don’t expect him to leave.
Possible Destination – New York Knicks – McGrady stays with the Knicks unless they can lure a bigger free agent to them.
12. Paul Pierce, Small Forward, Boston Celtics- He has a player option, so he can opt out if he so feels. If he does opt out he is not going anywhere. He feels like a one team for his entire career type of guy. I would have him rated higher if I thought he would leave.
Destination – Boston Celtics – Will be a Celtic whether he opts out or not.
11. Ray Allen, Shooting Guard, Boston Celtics- Getting old right? Have you watched him since the trade deadline when there were talks about him being moved? The old geezer (soon to be 35), has been lighting teams up like back in his hay day. After how he’s been playing, teams will want him.
Possible Destination – Boston Celtics – Allen will need to take a massive pay cut to stay but I think he loves this team too much to leave.
10. Yao Ming, Center, Houston Rockets- Do you remember him? That giant guy from China? Well he was out all season with a foot injury and it seems as if we all forgot about the dominant yet injury-prone big man. He has a player option that he can choose to opt out of if he would like, which he might just do. The Rockets have some nice young players but wouldn’t a fresh start be nice? He will need to accept less money because of his history of injuries but he will get good money due to his unique size and talent.
Possible Destination – Detroit or New Orleans – Both need a big shot blocker and scoring from the center position.
Wild Card – Houston Rockets – Could always just re-sign an extension with the team that drafted him.
9. Raymond Felton, Point Guard/Shooting Guard, Charlotte Bobcats- Again another player that does not get his due. Sure he is not really tall enough to be a shooting guard but he sure can score. You can say he has the Gilbert Arenas disease, the scorer who is masquerading around as a point guard. He has his moments as a point guard but Felton can be a special scorer and would be great for a team in need of scoring. Do not expect Felton to return to the bobcats because they have D.J. Augustine waiting.
Possible Destination – Indiana Pacers – They desperately need a point guard and scoring so Felton would be a nice fit.
Wild Card – New York Knicks – They really want Ricky Rubio from the Timberwolves, who still have not signed him and imported the youngster from Europe yet, but Felton isn’t a bad option B especially with Chris Duhon starting.
8. David Lee, Power Forward/Center, New York Knicks- I just don’t get it. The guy is a double-double machine and it always seems like no one wants to pay him or even trade for him. The guy will get you 20 points and 15 rebounds on a solid night but apparently teams just don’t like him. He should be just below a max contract.
Possible Destination – New York Knicks – He could do better but Knicks will happily take the underappreciated former Florida Gator.
Wild Card – Miami Heat – If the Heat can get Dwayne Wade to stay then Lee would be a nice piece to move Michael Beasley to small forward. Lee could play center like he did in New York if they need would rather just play him there.
7. Carlos Boozer, Power Forward, Utah Jazz- He could have opted out last year and gotten some big money even though he was coming off a knee injury. This year he is in the midst of a stacked free agent class, and seems to be screwed. He hasn’t gotten any younger, looked small and overpowered against taller guys like the Laker big men. If he goes to the east he will be in a better situation because they have shorter big men in the conference.
Possible Destination – Miami Heat – If the Heat cannot land a guy like David Lee, Chris Bosh or Amare Stoudemire do not be surprised to see Boozer in Miami next year.
Wild Card – Utah Jazz – They seem to adore him there.
6. Joe Johnson, Shooting Guard, Atlanta Hawks- He left Phoenix for the big money and a chance to prove himself. Looks like he will do the same. It’s been rumored by insiders that Johnson wants to play in the Big Apple. Why he would want to leave the Hawks for the lowly Knicks is confusing, but hey the Hawks were a sad group before him and now they are a perennial playoff team
Possible Destination – New York Knicks – He wants the spotlight and the big money but he is the Knicks fifth or sixth option.
Wild Card (A) – Atlanta Hawks – If the Knicks sign someone else he probably will re-up with the Hawks.
Wild Card (B) – Detroit Pistons – Richard Hamilton is seemingly a non factor now. Johnson can score; which the Pistons desperately need after GM Joe Dumars spent foolishly on Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon.
5. Dirk Nowitzki, Power Forward, Dallas Mavericks- Reportedly Dirk will opt out of his contract. But no way he leaves. The opt out is reportedly to get more money, and obtain a no-trade clause (only Kobe has a no-trade clause).
I bet Dirk is disappointed after being knocked out the playoffs again but leaving the Mavs is no way to get that elusive title. The Mavs are set up to have a ton of cap space so they can sign Nowitzki and another max contract guy.
That max contract guy they have interest in is obviously LeBron James (Owner Mark Cuban was fined $100k for talking about how he has interest in James) but Wade could also be a target.
Possible Destination – Dallas Mavericks – I just can’t see him leaving the Mavericks.
Wild Card – New Jersey Nets – They have the cap space to sign two max contract guys and power forward is definitely a need; especially when Yi Jianlian is your starting power forward.
4. Amare Stoudemire, Power Forward, Phoenix Suns- He was trade bait at the deadline but the Cavaliers wouldn’t give up J.J. Hickson up in the deal because he was playing well at the time. Well foolish Danny Ferry. The Cavs are out of the playoffs and the Suns are playing the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. Nice job Ferry.
While Amare is an athletic freak and an amazing talent (seems like he can’t grab a rebound to save his life though), he seems like a Robin to someone else’s Batman. If Amare does leave the Suns, which I don’t exactly think he will, he will probably pair up with either Wade or James.
Possible Destination – Phoenix Suns – Nash is still a big time player and the suns should b able to contend again next year.
Wild Card – See teams that LeBron or Wade go.
3. Chris Bosh, Power Forward, Toronto Raptors- When he was drafted they called him boom or bust. Well he is definitely BOOM. He is probably better than we give him credit because he has been trapped up there in Toronto.
Sure at times it did seem like he was lackadaisical this season, but how would you feel playing for a team going nowhere and not making the playoffs for a couple years? The guy is “uber-talented” and will sign big.
Possible Destination(s) – Bosh gave a list of teams he is considering to the Raptors consisting of Toronto, the Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers. Bosh was spotted at a Lakers playoff game, but to go to L.A. a sign-and-trade would have to be done.
2. LeBron James, Small Forward, Cleveland Cavaliers- I’m crazy right? Sure he is talented, a two-time MVP and a freak of nature, but I have to agree with Skip Bayless on this one. James hasn’t won anything with a better cast than Wade.
Sure Wade had Shaq when they won a title but Shaq was (still is) declining in skill. And after Shaq who else on that team was better than anyone on LeBron’s team? LeBron has (had) a good team the past two years and that is evident with the back-to-back 60 win seasons.
James has the skills of a leader but the mentality of a sidekick.
Possible Destination – Cleveland Cavaliers – I don’t think he will leave his home state team and if he does he becomes public enemy No. 1. Call me crazy again, but if LeBron leaves Cleveland without a title you can consider him a bust. Yes he has all the achievements but he didn’t win the big one. He was there once and had the opportunity to go again, so it is on him not the team. He SHOULD return.
Wild Card (A) - New Jersey Nets – They are moving to Brooklyn and have a partial owner in his buddy Jay-Z. Doesn’t make sense because they are so far away from even being in the playoffs.
Wild Card (B) – Chicago Bulls – James craves the spotlight and loves being compared to Michael Jordan, so why not go to MJ’s former team and team up with Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah?
Wild Card (C) – New York Knicks – The rumors were never for James to go here but the media sure does love the idea.
Teams to consider if “The King” really wants to win and not just money
Wild Card (D) –Dallas Mavericks – Cuban pampers his players and will throw money at LeBron. He would team up with Jason Kidd, Dirk Nowitzki, Caron Butler and Shawn Marion.
Wild Card (E) – Miami Heat – Team up with Wade and dominate the eastern conference for years to come. Both stars would have to put their egos aside but it’s about winning championships right? I think Wade could (the Heat would still be his team), what about you LeBron?
Wild Card (F) – Los Angeles Lakers – He could sign for a smaller contract and make up the money in endorsements. No spot for him at the moment but could trade Lamar Odom or Ron Artest. Kobe would have to approve but it would help Kobe get a couple more titles.
Wild Card (G) – Boston Celtics – Same scenario, he signs a smaller deal and makes up the money in endorsements. This way he is with the Big Three and Rondo. Allen might not be there but James gets closer to the title.
1. Dwayne Wade, Shooting Guard, Miami Heat- Have you ever seen a player do more with less than this guy? Put it this way, if Wade wasn’t on the Heat the team probably would have been as bad the Nets, yet they were the five seed in the playoffs! Take LeBron off the Cavs and they probably would make the playoffs.
Yes Wade hasn’t always been the healthiest but he has been hearty lately (he played 77 games this year).
He also has that so called “clutch gene” that Skip Bayless always says that Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan have. Whenever there is a game winning basket in the NBA it always seems to be by Kobe or Wade not LeBron.
Love me or hate me, I’ll take Wade.
Possible Destination – Miami Heat – They have to get him some help but Wade has said he loves Miami so do not bet against him staying… if he gets some much needed help.
Wild Card (A) – Chicago Bulls – Wade is a Chicago native but Rose and Wade are too much alike in their style. Can’t say no absolutely but doubtful.
Wild Card (B) – New York Knicks – This is beyond a long shot, Wade says he doesn’t like the cold, so I am sorry New York, you lose out in the Wade/ LeBron sweepstakes.
- By Clayton Fawcette
