Can Someone please post the rest of this article.. Updated: August 3, 2009, 9:33 PM ET Top remaining free agentsEmail Share STAY AHEAD OF THE GAME Become an Insider Today By Chad Ford ESPN.com Archive The annual free-agent frenzy has begun in earnest. NBA general managers have thrown an economic crisis and a lowered salary cap to the wind and are spending big bucks again this year. Ben Gordon earned the richest deal of the group, netting a five-year, $55 million contract from the Pistons. Hedo Turkoglu, Ron Artest, Trevor Ariza, Rasheed Wallace, Shawn Marion, Antonio McDyess and Charlie Villanueva all changed teams quickly. And a few free agents such as Jason Kidd, Anderson Varejao and Mike Bibby decided to re-up with their teams. To continue reading this article you must be an Insider http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insi...?columnist=ford_chad&page=FreeAgents09-090709
The annual free-agent frenzy has begun in earnest. NBA general managers have thrown an economic crisis and a lowered salary cap to the wind and are spending big bucks again this year. Ben Gordon earned the richest deal of the group, netting a five-year, $55 million contract from the Pistons. Hedo Turkoglu, Ron Artest, Trevor Ariza, Rasheed Wallace, Shawn Marion, Antonio McDyess and Charlie Villanueva all changed teams quickly. And a few free agents such as Jason Kidd, Anderson Varejao and Mike Bibby decided to re-up with their teams. Despite the initial flurry, a number of free agents remain on the market. The majority of them are restricted free agents. Most GMs are reluctant to make offers to restricted free agents because they have to wait seven days to see whether the player's current team will match that offer. That fear has kept most off the market so far. With very few teams -- the Thunder, Kings, and Blazers -- significantly under the cap, most of these players will have to settle for re-signing with their own teams, the midlevel exception or sign-and-trades. Here's the latest look at which players are available and where they could land: Key: UFA = unrestricted free agent RFA = restricted free agent (teams have seven days to match any offer for a restricted free agent) 1. David Lee, Knicks (RFA) Teams interested: Knicks, Blazers, Thunder Salary range: $8-10 million per year Lee is a double-double machine who has become a favorite among New York fans and coaches around the league. The Knicks have a goal of clearing cap space for 2010, meaning they might not be in a position to match a substantial offer sheet. So Lee is the rare top-notch restricted free agent whom an opposing team might be able to steal away. At least in theory. The Grizzlies flirted with making him an offer but then backed away. The Blazers tried to work out a sign-and-trade with the Knicks, but couldn't get New York to cooperate. 2. Marvin Williams, Hawks (RFA) Teams interested: Hawks, ??? Salary range: $6-8 million per year Williams has as much raw talent as anyone else in the draft class of 2005, but he has been frustratingly inconsistent in his first four seasons with the Hawks. Williams has struggled to receive any offers from a team because rival GMs are convinced the Hawks will match. Although he probably will stay in Atlanta, he hasn't played well enough to earn anything close to the $60-64 million, five-year contract that fellow '05 classmate Danny Granger signed this past fall. It appears that Williams is getting close to signing a 5 year, $40 million dollar deal with the Hawks. 3. Raymond Felton, Bobcats (RFA) Teams interested: Bobcats, Sixers Salary range: $5-6 million per year Felton has been looking over his shoulder at Larry Brown's young protégé, D.J. Augustin, who performed well enough as a rookie that it's unlikely the Bobcats would match a big offer sheet for Felton. Felton can dish out assists, but his poor shooting has hampered his career. If the Bobcats can get Felton for the midlevel exception, I think they'll keep him. Given that all the money has really dried up out there, I think his return to the Bobcats is likely. 4. Ramon Sessions, Bucks (RFA) Teams interested: Bucks, Clippers, Knicks Salary range: $4-6 million per year Teams are always in pursuit of point guards, especially ones who won't break the bank, and Sessions has caught the eye of a number of teams. With the Bucks struggling financially, they may not be able to match an offer. 5. Allen Iverson, Pistons (UFA) Teams interested: Clippers, Grizzlies, Bobcats, Bulls, Heat Salary range: $3-5 million per year Iverson's late-season disappearance didn't help his reputation. He's still a good player, but two nagging questions will hurt his case for a big deal: One, with the exception of that magical season in Philly under Larry Brown, is Iverson a winner? Two, does he have much left? The answer to the first question seems to be no. The answer to the second question seems to be a qualified yes. The Clippers and Grizzlies seem to have the most interest at the moment, with the two cheapest owners in the business, Donald Sterling and Michael Heisley, pondering whether to offer Iverson a one-year, $5 million deal because he sells tickets. 6. Nate Robinson, Knicks (RFA) Teams interested: Knicks, Kings Salary range: $3-5 million per year The Knicks are trying to convince Robinson to take a one-year offer that would pay him substantially more than his market value. He should probably take it. There aren't a lot of other teams out there right now offering him a multi-year deal. 7. Linas Kleiza, Nuggets (RFA) Teams interested: Nuggets, Knicks, Cavs, Raptors Salary range: $3-5 million per year Kleiza is an up-and-coming forward who drew a lot of interest at the trade deadline. He's physical and can score and should land a deal around the midlevel exception. 8. Glen Davis, Celtics (RFA) Teams interested: Celtics, Nets Salary range: $3-5 million per year Davis might be expendable now that the Celtics have signed Rasheed Wallace. Still, teams are wary of giving him an offer sheet on the off chance that the Celtics could match. 9. Marquis Daniels, Pacers (UFA) Teams interested: Celtics, Pacers, Rockets, Mavericks Salary range: $2.5-4 million per year Daniels has agreed to sign with the Celtics. The question right now is whether they will do it as a sign-and-trade or whether the Celtics will sign Daniels to their $2 million bi-annual exception. 10. Joe Smith, Cavs (UFA) Teams interested: Cavs, Hornets, Hawks Salary range: $2-4 million per year Smith continues to be a solid low-post option off the bench, especially for a title contender. 11. Jamaal Tinsley, Pacers (UFA) Teams interested: Knicks, Heat, Grizzlies Salary Range: $2-4 million per year Tinsley is the most talented point guard on the market. But given his issues off the court and the fact that he hasn't played since February 2008, he won't be able to command a huge sum. Still, there are several teams interested. The Heat and Grizzlies both looked at acquiring Tinsley via trade this summer. Now he could be had for much cheaper. He's got a starting position in Miami waiting for him and he could have significant minutes in Memphis, too. But it looks as though the Knicks are the leaders at the moment. New York isn't in a position to win many games and he'll have to fight for minutes with Chris Duhon, Nate Robinson (if he re-signs) and rookie Toney Douglas. But Tinsley has a good relationship with Knicks GM Donnie Walsh and would love playing in Mike D'Antoni's up-tempo offense. It might be a one-year deal, but it might be enough to jump-start his career. 12. Bruce Bowen, Bucks (UFA) Teams interested: Spurs, Celtics, Cavs Salary range: Veteran minimum to $2 million Now that the Bucks have waived Bowen, expect a number of teams to show interest in this defensive specialist whose also a dead-eye corner 3-point shooter. 13. Ben Wallace, Suns (UFA) Teams interested: Mavericks, Pistons, Celtics Salary range: $2-4 million per year It may be too early to write off Wallace. He probably doesn't want to toil for a lottery team, but there are several contenders who need size who might be a good fit. Wallace can't do anything offensively, but defensively he still contributes. 14. Rashad McCants, Kings (UFA) Teams interested: ?? Salary range: $2-4 million per year McCants doesn't have the world's greatest off-the-court rep, but on the court, he's still an excellent scorer with deep range on his jump shot. 15. Jerry Stackhouse, Grizzlies (UFA) Teams interested: ??? Salary range: Minimum to $2 million per year Stackhouse was traded to the Grizzlies and then waived. But he still has some value around the league on a team looking for another veteran swing man. 16. Carlos Delfino, Raptors (RFA) Teams interested: ??? Salary range: $2-4 million per year Delfino has great size for his position, can shoot the basketball and should come cheaply now that the Raptors have spent all of their money on Hedo Turkoglu. 17. Ronald Murray, Hawks (UFA) Teams interested: ??? Salary Range: $2-3 million per year Murray was a candidate for the sixth man of the year award last season. He's a gunner, but few low-salaried backup guards can score like he can. 18. Luther Head, Heat (UFA) Teams interested: Sixers Salary range: League minimum Head was a solid backup combo guard in Houston two seasons ago. For a team like the Sixers, who just lost Andre Miller, he's a solid option. 19. Aaron Gray, Bulls (RFA) Teams interested: Bulls Salary range: League minimum Gray is a big man, and there just aren't that many left on the market. Given the Bulls' financial woes, they may not be able to match an offer sheet. 20. Robert Swift, Thunder (UFA) Teams interested: Celtics Salary range: League minimum Swift is big and had promise once upon a time. But two knee surgeries have hurt his stock to the point that he's trying to catch on with anyone. Other unrestricted notables: Leon Powe, Celtics; Stromile Swift, Nets; Keith Bogans, Bucks; Bobby Jackson, Kings; Rodney Carney, Wolves; Cedric Simmons, Kings; Damon Jones, Bucks; Desmond Mason, Thunder; Chris Mihm, Grizzlies; Gerald Green, Mavericks; Wally Szczerbiak, Cavs; Jason Collins, Timberwolves; Jarron Collins, Jazz; Stephon Marbury, Celtics; Mikki Moore, Celtics; Juwan Howard, Bobcats; Joey Graham, Raptors; Maceo Baston, Pacers; Rob Kurz, Warriors; Morris Almond, Jazz.
Im sorry, but I dont know if I missed something here or not, but Von Wafer is not even listed in the notables section. Meanwhile, Luther Head is number 18... If you ask me, Von Wafer should be at least listed somewhere in that article, and at the very least ahead of Luther freakin Head.
Nothing really here for the Rockets. Unless we get a superstar or someone with a lotta upside there's no real point right now.
I think Detroit should have targeted Lee instead of Villaneuva. I still can't believe Lee has no suitors at the moment.
Cant Rox somehow make a trade for Lee? Just give them some players on their final year and they be happy with it. Cook + Barry = 5 m.
I just wish now that we didn't have so many damn wing players so that we can give Morris a shot. I personally believe he's a better player than Wafer and White. Don't think he got a chance in Utah with Brewer and Kerilinko taking the bulk of the minutes at the 3.
Don't know anything about him, but I know Jazz fans said "good riddance" when he left, as he apparantly hoggged the ball a lot and took a lot of bad shots. But seriously, Wafer below Bowen and Juwan Howard? What the heck is this article?
Okay am I missing something, did Von sign a contract or something? why isn't his name anywhere on that article, the guy was just one of the top bench players, for the team that almost knocked out the Champs.
Probably for the person who wrote the article, Von is not that significant. One promising year does not make him that notable. He should just sign back with the Rockets and develop further and try again next year.
Regardless of what you think of Wafer's future wit the Rockets, he deserves to be listed above Bobby Jackson and Gerald Green.
By that logic though there's no way Rob Kurz (who?) and Maceo Baston should be on this list at all. Neither has done anything notable.
