[ESPN:Insider] Top remaining free agents

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/columns/story?columnist=ford_chad&page=FreeAgents09-090709

Chad Ford says Rockets are interested in R. Sessions, M. Daniels and R. Nesterovic. Hmmm...

Top remaining free agents
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Ford By Chad Ford
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David LeeFernando Medina/NBAE via Getty ImagesRestricted free agent David Lee averaged 16 points and 11.7 rebounds this past season for the Knicks.

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 also have toyed with the idea but haven't pulled the trigger.


2. Lamar Odom, Lakers (UFA)
Teams interested: Lakers, Cavs
Salary range: $6-8 million per year

Odom is one of the most interesting free agents on the open market. With Kobe, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum on L.A.'s roster, the Lakers don't desperately need him, especially now that they've spent $33 million on Ron Artest.

Still, Odom is a great team guy who can rebound and initiate the offense, and he doesn't need the ball to be effective. He wants a lot of money to stay with the Lakers, but if they won't pay it, who will? He may have to settle for the midlevel exception if he can't make a deal with L.A.


3. Andre Miller, Sixers (UFA)
Teams interested: Sixers, Blazers, Pacers
Salary range: $5.5-7 million per year

At age 33, Miller is coming off two of the best seasons of his career. Can the Sixers afford to lose him? Some GM who needs a veteran point guard will be willing to gamble on Miller this summer if he gives up his $10 million per season demands.


4. Marvin Williams, Hawks (RFA)
Teams interested: Hawks, ???
Salary range: $5.5-7 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.


5. 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.


6. Josh Childress, Hawks (RFA)
Teams interested: Bucks, Pacers
Salary range: $4-6 million per year

Childress shocked many in the NBA by deciding to bolt for Greece last summer. He'll likely be back in the NBA eventually, but it's unclear whether he'll decide to return in the fall. However, with bad blood lingering over how his negotiations went with Atlanta last summer, he probably won't return to the Hawks, even though they still hold his rights.


7. Ramon Sessions, Bucks (RFA)
Teams interested: Bucks, Warriors, Heat, Blazers, Pacers, Rockets
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.


8. Allen Iverson, Pistons (UFA)
Teams interested: 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 Grizzlies seem to have the most interest at the moment, with owner Michael Heisley pondering whether to offer Iverson a one-year, $5 million deal.


9. Nate Robinson, Knicks (RFA)
Teams interested: Knicks, Kings
Salary range: $3-5 million per year

The Knicks probably can't afford to keep Robinson as they try to re-sign David Lee and clear cap space for LeBron James (and/or others). Look for Sacramento, among other teams, to make a run at him, especially after the Kings made a big play for him at the trade deadline.


10. 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.


11. Glen Davis, Celtics (RFA)
Teams interested: Celtics, Pistons
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.


12. Marquis Daniels, Pacers (UFA)
Teams interested: Pacers, Rockets, Mavericks
Salary range: $2.5-4 million per year

Daniels is coming off one of the best seasons of his career. He's 28, in the prime of his career and really could help a team coming off the bench. He just has to come to grips with the fact that he won't make $7 million a year anymore.


13. Drew Gooden, Spurs (UFA)
Teams interested: ???
Salary range: $2.5-4 million per year

Gooden's situation has been surprisingly quiet. He's big, talented and still pretty young. But he has a bad rep around the league and can't seem to find a home.


14. Joe Smith, Cavs (UFA)
Teams interested: Cavs, Magic, Hornets
Salary range: $2-4 million per year

Smith continues to be a solid low-post option off the bench, especially for a title contender.


15. Chris Wilcox, Knicks (UFA)
Teams interested: Wizards
Salary range: $2-4 million per year

Wilcox has enormous athletic ability and is still relatively young. However, he's struggling to find a team willing to give him big bucks.


16. Hakim Warrick, Grizzlies (RFA)
Teams interested: Grizzlies, ???
Salary range: $2-4 million per year

Warrick has talent, and a number of teams would target him if he weren't a restricted free agent. The Grizzlies won't match a huge offer, but I don't think anyone is inclined to give him one anyway.


17. Rasho Nesterovic, Pacers (UFA)
Teams interested: Spurs, Rockets, Magic
Salary range: $2.5-4 million per year

Nesterovic may have lost a step or two, but he's still a pretty effective post man, especially on the offensive end. For a team that is thin at center, he could be a really nice addition to play 15 to 20 minutes a night.


18. 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.


19. Ike Diogu, Kings (UFA)
Teams interested: Kings
Salary range: $2-4 million per year

Diogu has battled injuries and struggled to crack the rotation in Golden State, Indiana, Portland and Sacramento. But when he has played, he has shown a knack for scoring the basketball. Teams won't spend much on him, but he has a skill that is in demand.


20. 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.


21. Ronald Murray, Hawks
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.


22. Jamario Moon, Heat (RA)
Team Interested: Heat
Salary Range: Minimum to $2 million per year

Moon is an athletic forward who can run the floor, defend and contribute offensively. He started 21 games for the Heat last season.


23. Johan Petro, Nuggets
Teams Interested: ???
Salary Range: Minimum to $2 million per year

In a league where size is hard to come by, you'd think there would be more interest in Petro. Only 23-years-old, Petro is a legit 7-footer who can block shots and rebound on a limited basis.

Other unrestricted notables: Leon Powe, Celtics; Sean May, Bobcats; Stromile Swift, Nets; Robert Swift, Thunder; Keith Bogans, Bucks; Bobby Jackson, Kings; Luther Head, Heat; 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; Shelden Williams, Wolves; Stephon Marbury, Celtics; Mikki Moore, Celtics; Juwan Howard, Bobcats; Joey Graham, Raptors; Maceo Baston, Pacers; Rob Kurz, Warriors; Morris Almond, Jazz.

Other restricted notables: Carlos Delfino, Raptors; Aaron Gray, Bulls; Ersan Ilyasova, Bucks; Josh McRoberts, Pacers.