Free Agency Update: June 29

This is the last installment in my five part series of weekly free agency updates. The other four can be read by clicking on the links below:

Free Agency Update: June 1

Free Agency Update: June 8

Free Agency Update: June 15

Free Agency Update: June 22


With only two days left until July 1, rumors have been circulating at an even wilder pace than previously throughout the month. Here is the latest news pertaining to the key free agents.

Even though LeBron James and Chris Bosh heading to Chicago were almost a "sure thing" according to Sports Illustrated, the latest news from Steven A. Smith is that LeBron will play for Miami next year along with Bosh. Would this duo combined with Dwyane Wade be the success story that everyone expects it to be? Originally, I thought that this would be the best option for each player involved. However, now I'm not so sure. Wade, James, and Bosh are all used to being the leaders on the team. That could certainly create some drama on the Heat, which would obviously still be Dwyane Wade's team. Miami will never embrace James or Bosh in the way that they have embraced Wade simply because he was there first. Even though a "big three" formula worked for Boston (Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett), I do not seeing it working in Miami - at all. Although I do think it would be interesting to watch the drama unfold in Miami once a losing streak of three games happened. My guess is that Chris Bosh would not have a problem giving up his leadership role, but LeBron is so self-oriented that it would eat at him not to be "the man" on the team. No more chalk throwing LBJ...it's Wade's team.

Speaking of LeBron, all of the teams are clamoring to get him. Congratulations. You've signed LeBron, now what? Instant championship right? Nope, sorry Clippers fans. You still wouldn't win. You see, LeBron needs people around him. He can't have just anyone though. He needs a second superstar on the team. He needs a Bosh, Stoudemire, or Boozer on the team. He can't win by himself. Just ask the Cleveland rafters with all of the banners that he's hung with his time on the Cavaliers. LeBron had a great team around him this past year and couldn't shoulder the load in crunch time. Another superstar would attract some attention on the offensive end of the floor, and it would make James more effective.

I would also like to applaud the intelligence and team-awareness of Toronto Raptors' general manager Bryan Colangelo. He stated that Bosh is "likely to leave". Your wit and prediction is unmatched by any other human being following the NBA my friend. Of course Chris Bosh is leaving. Everyone knows this and has known this for quite some time now. I suppose you will also announce that the Raptors will not win a championship next year? Now you're getting a little bold, don't you think?

The New York Knicks will have serious discussions with Joe Johnson and Amare Stoudemire on Thursday and Friday. These two players would be perfect together! (I originally predicted them to be on the same team in my June 1 Free Agency Update.) Keep an eye out for the two of them to make noise in New York next year.

That leaves Carlos Boozer. Where will he sign in the midst of all this mess? Chicago will be his team next year if the rest of the players go to the teams mentioned above. I wouldn't be surprised if Tracy McGrady or Ray Allen would join him either if they are offered enough money to be lured to the Windy City.

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Free Agency Update: June 22

I have been posting a weekly Tuesday article dealing with all of the latest news about NBA Free Agency. It will run until July 1. Check back frequently for all of the latest stories and scenarios!

Only ten more days until the greatest free agency class ever officially is able to talk to any team. Let's take a look at an updated list of the three main tiers of free agents and address any rumors that have been surfacing about the players.

Tier One

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Dirk Nowitzki

LeBron is being wooed by just about every team that can afford a max free agent. The New York Knicks have been the front runners in this category, and they have even encouraged many celebrities who live in or around the New York City area to attempt to entice LeBron to call Madison Square Garden home next year. With all of the excitement surrounding James, there certainly are high expectations for whatever team lands him. The only problem is that LeBron will not win a team a championship just by himself. He won't even get to the Conference Finals by himself. No one can in this league. Listen up New York: be prepared for a big disappointment if you cannot land another first or second tier free agent. Chicago, Miami, and New Jersey are the three teams that have the pieces in place for LBJ to take them deep into the playoffs next season.

Dwyane Wade has made it clear that he does not want to leave Miami. Instead, he will be recruiting players to come and join him on his campaign for his second ring. The best option is easily Chris Bosh who could run an effective offense when combined with Wade. Bosh is a formidable player in the post, and he can also shoot a midrange jumper at a decent percentage. Wade can shoot as well, but he is best known as a slasher to the hoop. This combination could be lethal. However, Bosh recently stated that he would like to be the main man on a team and not a sidekick. If this is the case, Miami is not the place for him. A better fit would be the Chicago Bulls because both Derek Rose and Joakim Noah would look up to Bosh as a leader.

Tier Two

Joe Johnson, Amare Stoudemire, Carlos Boozer, David Lee, Paul Pierce, Rudy Gay

Joe Johnson, much like Bosh, would also look to be the star on a team. I don't see this happening, though. Johnson is not vocal enough on the court to lead a team down the stretch. His play leads by example, but Johnson couldn't rile up a team if he had to. He will also have to be paired with either a first or second tier free agent to be effective.

Amare Stoudemire is out in Phoenix. There's no easy way to say it. The run-and-gun type of offense is dying, and Phoenix was the last drop in the IV tube to keep it alive. With Steve Kerr out as well for the Suns, Stoudemire will most likely not return because of the fact that he will not be offered max money by Phoenix. If he is, it would come as a surprise.

It's been five days now since the Celtics' collapse in Game Seven. Paul Pierce has still not hinted as to what his plans are for this offseason since he has an early termination option in his contract. Expect him to retire as a Celtic. He has seen two extremes from this organization and will ride them out until his retirement.

Tier Three

Ray Allen, Tracy McGrady, Luis Scola, Brendan Haywood

Ray Allen, much like Pierce, wants to stay in Boston. The only question is does Boston want him to stay? The consensus currently is no. Allen will undoubtedly be heavily pursued by teams this offseason, especially those who do not sign a tier one or two free agent. If Pierce stays though, look for the Celtics to bring back Allen and attempt another run at a championship. The Celtics will choose to rebuild the bench instead of the starters.

Tracy McGrady's name popped up in free agent discussions for the first time this week. He is now being linked to the Los Angeles Lakers. McGrady would come off the bench and be a role player much like Lamar Odom. Ron Artest has reached out to McGrady and has stated that McGrady would be welcome on LA next year. This would be a great fit for the Lakers. Other than Kobe Bryant, the Lakers do not have a slashing offensive player who will take it to the hoop and drive the lane. Insert McGrady and teams will not only have to worry about Bryant, but McGrady will also be a threat to attack the rim when Bryant gets a breather. If the Lakers do end up signing TMac (a member of the Lakers front office told the public to expect the deal to be done by the end of July), they will repeat as champions.

Once the dust settles and players begin to sign with teams, a domino effect will take place. Almost everyone is looking as to where LeBron will sign. Then, some of the second tier players will join him, and some will join Wade. One or two might join Bosh if he is still set on "leading a team". The biggest thing to keep an eye out for is the overspending of teams who do not land a first tier free agent. No one in the second or third tiers is worth max money, but some team (ahem, New Jersey) will panic and begin throwing money at players who don't deserve it. Just sit back and observe. The only thing for certain is that the fireworks on July 4 will be nothing compared to the fireworks that will be going off around the NBA this offseason.

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Free Agency Update: June 15

I will be posting a weekly Tuesday article dealing with all the latest news about NBA Free Agency from now until July 1. Check back frequently for all of the latest stories and scenarios!

Not much has changed this week in terms of free agency. However, some new developments have surfaced about on-going stories.

First of all, did you know that LeBron James is a wanted man next year? However, he does not know where he will call home just yet. He did endorse the hiring of Tom Izzo by the Cleveland Cavaliers, retracting a previous statement that he would prefer to play for a coach with NBA experience. Izzo is still "undecided" about the head coaching vacancy in Cleveland, but he will likely make up his mind this week. A previous story has him already telling Michigan State players that he will leave the team for Cleveland next year.

Dwyane Wade is attempting to recruit the "best player in free agency" to join him on the Miami Heat next year. Wade has expressed his desire to re-sign with the Heat, and we all know that the Heat will gladly oblige to his request. There's one free agent that has made up his mind. However, he realizes that he cannot take Miami to the Finals alone. He has had dinner with Chris Bosh and talked with Joe Johnson at a Jordan Brand event about a possible future with the Heat. Sources have not indicated whether or not he has spoken with Amare Stoudemire or Carlos Boozer. When asked about the possibility that LeBron James will join him next year Wade simply said, "He's an interesting guy. He's going to do what he wants. He doesn't even know where he's going yet." I'm still betting on the fact that Bosh will play the power forward position for Miami next year.

Amare Stoudemire has stated that he will explore other options if the Phoenix Suns do not offer to re-sign him for a maximum contract. While Stoudemire says that he is excited about the direction that the Phoenix organization has been moving in the past few years, he is also aware that he is a superstar who deserves big money. If the Suns are unwilling to sign him for a maximum contract, I still think that he would be a great fit for the New York Knicks with former head coach Mike D'Antoni. My guess is that Phoenix will re-sign him though.

Lastly, Ray Allen is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. He has also expressed his desire to remain a Celtic and probably retire in Boston as well. Allen is aware that he will take a pay cut from the almost $19 million that he earned this past year. However, if a team does not land any big ticket free agents, that team (most likely New Jersey) could attempt to lure Allen with one final big payday and offer him more money to sign with their club. Where will Ray Allen be playing next year? I still believe that he will remain with Boston as will Paul Pierce who has an early termination option. If the Celtics win the NBA Finals this year, the Big Four will remain intact. If not, I still think that they will give the Finals one last shot next year.

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Free Agency Upate: June 1

I will be posting a weekly Tuesday article dealing with all the latest news about NBA Free Agency from now until July 1. Check back frequently for all of the latest stories and scenarios!

We are now one month away from witnessing the best free agent class ever begin to be courted with all sorts of promotional tactics. This process will not be restricted to financial talks between owners and players, but it will rather include anything possible that a city can do to land one or two top tier free agents. For instance, Dwyane Wade has already witnessed a website, We Want Wade, created in order to convince him to stay on the Miami Heat for years to come. LeBron James, the biggest fish in the free agent pond, had a parade held in his honor in order to show him how enthusiastic the Los Angeles Clippers are to welcome him to LA. Brace yourself folks. This is only the beginning of a hectic summer. The top names in this class are LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire, Dirk Nowitzki, Joe Johnson, and Carlos Boozer. So let's look at what we know about the players so far:

1. Wade has already admitted to planning a meeting with the top free agents (likely everyone included in the list above, but possibly not Dirk) in order to see "what everyone is thinking".

2. Without Dirk (almost everyone expects him to re-sign with the Dallas Mavericks), there are six names on the list above. Remember this number. SIX.

3. With this free agent meeting of the minds, these six players will be looking at two factors when deciding to sign. The first is championship potential, and the second is maximizing the amount of money they could earn on their new teams.

Now that we know what the players are thinking, let's look at free agency from the teams' perspective at this point:

1. Four teams can sign one or two max free agents come July 1. They are the Miami Heat, New York Knicks, New Jersey Nets, and Chicago Bulls.

2. The most desirable markets are obviously Miami, New York, and Chicago. New Jersey is still a good 5 years from seriously competing for an NBA Championship, especially after falling to third in the NBA Draft. The "Brooklyn Nets" are at least two years down the road.

3. Miami isn't going to sign any free agents until they re-sign Wade first.

Now that we know where the teams are standing on the topic of free agency, I'm going to bring up a number I urged you all to remember. Six players. Also, looking at my second point above, you can see that there are three markets that are desirable. What does this mean? That two players (probably a guard/post in each case) will play in each of the markets listed. It's funny how these work out isn't it? That means that there will be one player from each column teamed up with one player from the left column.

LeBron James Amare Stoudemire

Dwyane Wade Carlos Boozer

Joe Johnson Chris Bosh

But what combination would be best for everyone involved?

LeBron James and Carlos Boozer: Boozer will stretch the floor for LeBron while not clogging up the lane like Shaq did. He can hit a consistent 15-18 foot jump shot which will help LeBron. Boozer is also an excellent rebounder, and could compliment another good post player for a formidable front court. Destination: Chicago.

Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh: Wade is a slasher and needs another post who will not clog up the lane. Bosh, much like Boozer, can hit jump shots which should open up the key for Wade to go to work. Destination: Miami.

Joe Johnson and Amare Stoudemire: Joe Johnson is an excellent passer. Stoudemire is used to superb passing a la Steve Nash. This would be a great combination, especially if one more post player or guard is added to the mix. Destination: New York.

My last thought for today on this topic goes out to James, Wade, and Bosh. FORGET ABOUT CONTRACT MONEY. All of them should take less money and sign with Miami. There were rumors that they had talked about this, and they should go for it. They would make so much money from endorsements, commercials, etc. that they would quickly forget the pay cut that they had to take in order to play together. The quickest way to fill up their fingers with rings would be this option. This would leave Johnson, Boozer, and Stoudemire to do the same thing and probably pick New York as their home court for the next couple years.

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The Top Free Agents of 2010

With all of the buzz around Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh among other players, I thought that I would begin this blog with a list of the 20 best free agents available, both restricted and unrestricted, for the summer of 2010.

1. LeBron James, Small Forward

James is obviously the most coveted free agent of this excellent class. His stat sheet is beyond impressive, and he will be able to take any team he joins to the playoffs within one year. Even though LeBron has won the MVP for two consecutive years, his leadership has recently been questioned because of the Cleveland Cavaliers' early exit (yet again) from the playoffs. In order for James to be successful in the NBA, I believe that he must have a running mate that COMMANDS attention because Mo Williams and Shaquille O'neal didn't make the cut. Antawan Jamison's defensive woes were exposed in the playoffs along with Mo's, so I do not expect LeBron to return to Cleveland. My front runner is the Chicago Bulls because of their solid young core of Derek Rose and Joakim Noah, but the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Clippers are other options. A wild card team could be the Dallas Mavericks now that Dirk Nowitzki has decided to test the waters of free agency. Mark Cuban, the owner of the Mavericks, has already been fined $100,000 for LeBron related comments, and he has never been afraid to spend money to build the team he wants.

2. Dwyane Wade, Shooting Guard

Dwyane Wade is another spectacular player who is a leader on his team. Contrary to the immense amount of speculation swirling around LeBron James, there is almost none surrounding Wade. The reason? I believe he will stay with the Miami Heat. The Heat have enough money to sign another max free agent (James, Bosh, Stoudemire) who could help put the Heat over the top in the Eastern Conference. Wade is a Chicago native, but if he went there I think that his style of play would conflict with that of Derek Rose. Both of these players are slashers and love to drive the ball. However, neither is a pin point shooter so a drive-and-kick option could be limited. Expect Wade to play in Miami next season, but to also have a max free agent as his running mate.

3. Chris Bosh, Power Forward

Bosh, although considered a superstar, has somewhat flown under the radar during his career in the NBA. He played for the Toronto Raptors, and the small media market did not allow him to be as exposed as a player of his quality should be. Bosh has been widely labeled as a "wingman" to a front-runner of a team to help win a championship. Bosh has been the go to guy on the Raptors, and I don't think that he can win a championship as the leader of a ball club. Don't get me wrong, Bosh is an extremely talented player who is good for a double-double almost every night. However, when a team's main threat is a post player, the team normally does not have much success (Dwight Howard and the Orland Magic anyone?). I believe we will know where Bosh will be playing once we know where James and Wade will be playing because he is most likely to join one of those two and make a run at a championship. There is the possibility that he could join both players in Miami though because apparently the three have talked about joining forces and dominating the NBA for years to come.

4. Dirk Nowitzki, Power Forward

Dirk is a surprise to many on this list. He originally was expected to re-sign with Dallas without much commotion. However, his recent declaration for the unrestricted free agent pool left many to wonder if he has played his last game in a Mavericks uniform. Dallas is comparable to Cleveland in the sense that they have incredible regular seasons but cannot produce come playoff time. Like Bosh, I believe that Nowitzki has to be the second option on a team. He is an excellent shooter and could be a great asset to a slasher like Wade or James. When all is said and done however, I expect Dirk to continue to play for the Mavericks next year, but to have a better second option that Caron Butler or Jason Terry.

5. Amare Stoudemire, Power Forward

Stoudemire has been criticized for his defense and rebounding by Charles Barkley as of late, but his impressive Game 3 in the Western Conference Finals showed why he is a popular player to lure to a ball club. Stoudemire, like Bosh, will look to sign with a front runner so that he can be the second option on a team. He has been dangled as trade bait at the deadline for the past two years, and I believe that if the Heat can't get James or Bosh, Stoudemire will be their man.

6. Joe Johnson, Shooting Guard

Although Johnson has also been recently criticized for his recent playoff performance with the Atlanta Hawks, he is a very good player with scoring potential. He might have cost himself a little bit of money due to the season ending sweep that was dealt to them by the Orlando Magic, but Johnson will be a coveted piece to a contender's puzzle come July 1st. My top two destinations for Johnson are Atlanta and New York.

7. Paul Pierce, Small Forward

Pierce has an early termination option on his contract, but I don't expect him to play anywhere other than Boston. Considering what the Celtics have done in the postseason would you move teams? The thought wouldn't even cross my mind. The resurrection of Kevin Garnett and the emergenge of Rajon Rondo as the BEST player on the Celtics (no that is not a typo) has made the Celtics look young again. Expect Pierce to remain in Celtic green next year.

8. Carlos Boozer, Power Forward

Boozer's situation is a lot like Stoudemire's. He was also mentioned in trade rumors with Miami this past February, and I believe he would be a good fourth option for the Heat. Although I'm not sure where the eccentric power forward will land, I am not going to rule out Utah at this point. Deron Williams has declared himself the best point guard in the league, but apparently he does not recognize the Celtics as an NBA team because Rondo is clearly better. However, Williams is the second best point guard in the league, and if the Jazz can remain healthy for the postseason next year, they could make a run.

9. Ray Allen, Shooting Guard

See Paul Pierce above. No further comment needed for this member of the Celtics. Although mentioned at the trade deadline, if he has a choice I think it will be to stay in Boston.

10. David Lee, Center

Lee has been the go to scorer for the New York Knicks for the past two seasons (although Al Harrington could also make a case). He is an excellent rebounder and also has a pretty good shot for a big man. However, his defense has been called into question. He is a tad undersized to successfully defend some of the more dominant centers in the league, but Lee is a good piece to a championsip puzzle. I see him remaining with the Knicks and possibly luring another player or two on this list to help him out in the Big Apple.

11. Yao Ming, Center

Yao has been plagued by injuries. Fine. He is still an incredible center with his arsenal of post moves and mid range jump shot. If Yao can recover, I believe there will definitely be interest in him but that he will remain in Houston.

12. Michael Redd, Shooting Guard

Redd has also been a frequent victim of the injury bug. I'm going to make a bold prediction and say his days in Milwaukee are over. That's right over. I believe that the Bucks will re-sign Salmons and with all of the young talent there is no need for Redd. If he makes a full recovery he is a good second option for any team.

13. Rudy Gay, Small Forward

Gay is a restricted free agent, and in my opinion, an underachiever. Every year we hear about how the Grizzlies could have a breakout year, and they consistently perform below expectations. The talent is there (Conley, Mayo, Gay, Randolph, Gasol), but for some reason this does not translate into wins. The Western Conference is extremely difficult, but if the Thunder have built up can't the Griz? My gut says Rudy will remain with the Grizzlies, and possibly sign a short contract and test free agency again in a couple of years.

14. Brendan Haywood, Center

Haywood played very well for the Mavericks after he came over in a trade from the Washington Wizards. I believe that he is a pivotal piece in the puzzle for Dallas, and that Cuban will make sure he re-signs with the Mavs this offseason.

15. Luis Scola, Power Forward

Scola has been a solid option for the Rockets in the past couple of years. He is a pretty good defender and an excellent rebounder. Because of the fact that he is a restricted free agent, I expect him to remain with the Rockets as they continue to grow around Kevin Martin and Trevor Ariza.

16. Al Harrington, Small Forward

Harrington is done in New York, especially if a max free agent is going to play for the Knicks. They simply do not have the money to keep both potential players. I am not sure where Harrington will land, however. I'm stretching here, but perhaps Cleveland? If their small forward leaves, the spot will be open and Harrington could be a viable option for the club. Another possibility? Phoenix. Harrington isn't max money, and depending on Grant Hill at the end of this season Phoenix would also be in need of a small forward's services.

17. Richard Jefferson, Small Forward

Quite possibly the biggest disappointment of this past season. He was supposed to bring the Spurs back to the top, but instead never looked completely comfortable in the offense. I don't expect him to stay, and could see teams mentioned above for Al Harrington in his future.

18. John Salmons, Shooting Guard

Wade will be playing for the Miami Heat next season. Done. You can put money on that now. Joe Johnson is a question mark for the Hawks. What does this mean for Salmons? Money. I expect the Bucks to aggressively try to negotiate with Salmons this offseason, but the Hawks could try to pry him away. Because of the fact that Salmons is a wanted man, he could earn a big payday this summer.

19. Roger Mason, Shooting Guard

What a breakout year for Mason! He excelled in the playoffs, and looked like a true option at the shooting guard. Although he is not a prime target for any team, he could be a good signing option for a team in need of a shooter. We all know the Magic love 3 point shooters, and with the recent playoff woes against the Celtics I don't see the same players coming back for Orlando next year. I do think Mason could be an option however.

20. Tracy McGrady, Shooting Guard

The man just wants to play and maybe, just maybe, win a championship or have any sort of playoff success. Who will pay him? No one at the amount he's been earning. However, McGrady could earn a nice salary and play for a younger team offering veteran guidance. Golden State or Sacramento would assure him a role, but the chances for winning aren't there. I think if New York negotiates a deal with him to take a cut, he could stay in the Big Apple and team up with a max free agent to give him the best final shot at winning.

Other Free Agents of Note: Raymond Felton, Brad Miller, Shaquille O'Neal, Derek Fisher, Jermaine O'Neal, J.J. Reddick, Allen Iverson, Josh Howard

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