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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Magical Playoff Run Comes to an End

The Orland Magic's improbable comeback from an 0-3 hole was cut short Friday night thanks to the Boston Celtics. This was a mistake filled game for the Magic which was reflected with the final score of 96-84. The injured Celtics took care of business on their home court, and they have advanced to the NBA Finals to represent the Eastern Conference. The Celtics remained in control for most of the game. Paul Pierce had a huge game for the Celtics with a stat line of 31 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists. Nate Robinson had a big game off the bench for the Celtics with 13 points.

The Boston Celtics, although playing with many team members injured, used the passion of their home crowd to their advantage. A big boost for Boston was that reserve forward Glen Davis was able to play despite suffering a concussion in Game Five. Boston is a team of veterans, and they know when to step their game up. Now, they will face either the Los Angeles Lakers or the Phoenix Suns starting June 1. However, the favorite to represent the Western Conference is the Lakers. This will come as a joy to Celtics fans who could be heard chanting "Beat LA!" in the closing minutes of the game.

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Lakers Remain Unbeaten at Home in Postseason

The Los Angeles Lakers successfully defended their home court against the Phoenix Suns earlier tonight. This will force a decisive Game Six which will be held in Phoenix on Saturday. Kobe Bryant was one assist away from a triple-double with 30 points, 11 rebounds, 9 assists, and 4 blocks. Pau Gasol, Derek Fisher, and Lamar Odom all scored in double figures for the Lakers. The key for the Lakers tonight was limiting Amare Stoudemire's impact on the game. After Stoudemire erupted in Games Three and Four, he scored only 19 points and had 4 rebounds in Game Five.

With 3.5 seconds remaining, the game was tied 101-101. Phil Jackson and the rest of Laker nation had just witnessed Ron Artest put up an ill-advised three point jump shot just 51 seconds ago when he could have opted to run out the clock. This allowed the Suns to tie the game with a Jason Richardson three pointer. On the inbound pass to Bryant, he quickly turned and fired strongly contested three pointer. It didn't touch the rim, but Ron Artest grabbed the offensive rebound and shot a lay-up to win the game at the buzzer.

Now the series heads back to Phoenix where anything could happen. The Suns have played their best basketball at home this postseason, and I don't see anything changing for Game Six. I think that if the Lakers are looking to end this series in six games, they must take the Suns fans out of the game early. Squash any hope of winning the game and take every last ounce of life out of the Suns. However, this will be difficult to do, and my gut tells me that this series will need the full seven games to be completed.

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Panic in Los Angeles?

The Los Angeles Lakers looked invincible after the first two games of the Western Conference Finals. However, now they look vulnerable thanks to the way that they have played in the last two games. But should Lakers fans be worried? Let's examine both sides of this argument.

Yes, be afraid!

1. Pau Gasol cannot successfully defend Amare Stoudemire. Period. Stoudemire is much too quick for Gasol which all but negates Gasol's height advantage. Gasol has been labeled as a passive post player in the past, and his five rebounds in Game Four resurfaced these discussions.

2. Andrew Bynum is hurt. Even though he insists that his knee is ok any one that watches him play can tell he's not 100%. After a couple trips up and down the court, he looks like he isn't comfortable, and Phil Jackson will normally take him out after 5-7 minutes of work.

3. The Suns bench, although non-existent in Games One and Two, have been resurrected by their home crowd. Channing Frye hit his first shots in what seemed like an eternity last night. Goran Dragic has been looking good, and his speed has been a problem for the Lakers.

4. The Lakers haven't been hitting open shots. When the team was down in both Games Three and Four, they opted for the three pointer to help them climb back. Not a bad plan, but none of the shots were falling even though there was minimal defense by the Suns.

No, just stay calm!

1. The Lakers are returning home where they have been undefeated this postseason. I think the home crowd is just what Los Angeles needs to get a decisive win in Game Five and put the pressure on Phoenix. Also, in order to win the series, Los Angeles only needs to win at home because of home court advantage.

2. There is a height advantage for the Lakers at nearly every position. Gasol, Bynum, and Odom can all rebound and score, but they must stay aggressive on the boards throughout the game. Look for the Lakers to better utilize this height advantage through the rest of this series.

3. Kobe Bryant will be the best player on the court for every remaining playoff game he plays in this year. Lakers fans know this. Everyone in the world knows this. He's going to be effective no matter what kind of defensive schemes are thrown at him. Just watch him play.

4. Phil Jackson is the best coach in the league. He knows how to motivate his team when it matters most. The fact that he's undefeated when his team goes up 2-0 (like they did against Phoenix) doesn't hurt either.

So after looking at these two perspectives should the Lakers be worried? Not at all. They will return home where they will continue to remain undefeated in the playoffs. I'm going to give them a 99% chance to win the series based on home court advantage alone. That one percent is not because I'm not confident in my prediction, but because the Cavaliers lost with home court advantage this playoffs so I won't rule out anything yet.

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