The Best Remaining Free Agents

[Erick Blasco]

As the calendar turns the page into August, most of the NBA’s premier free agents have long been scooped up. Lamar Odom, Ron Artest, Hedo Turkoglu, Rasheed Wallace, Andre Miller, and Jason Kidd are off the market, and even the majority of lesser-tiered role players have determined their 2009-2010 addresses.

 

Still, a handful of big names, smart backups, and improving youngsters are there to be had. Some of those players could be signed outright, while a few others would have to be plucked through the murky waters of restricted free agency.

 

Here are the best treasures up for grabs.

 

Allen Iverson—Unrestricted Free Agent

 

As evidenced by his tenure in Detroit last season, Iverson can’t fit in to balanced offensive approaches and won’t sacrifice for the good of a team. Worse, age has caught up to him as his electric athleticism is fizzling, while injuries have begun to take their toll.

 

Iverson’s pride can’t allow him to accept a bench role, so his options are limited to bottom-feeding teams where he’d be guaranteed to massage the ball and take as many shots as he’d like. However, the majority of those teams are in penny-pinching mode and can’t afford to waste money on a player who won’t make their team better.

 

Charlotte is a rumored destination, but it’s hard to believe Larry Brown would want to stomach the indigestion he suffered from coaching Iverson in Philadelphia.

 

The Timberwolves would be a great fit, as they need perimeter scoring to match Al Jefferson’s interior post game. But given that they don’t have a coach yet, a novice signal caller would face extra stresses from coaching an ego of Iverson’s magnitude.

 

Milwaukee could use him but doesn’t have the money to spend. Sacramento is too entrenched in a youth movement to take a flier on Iverson. The Knicks have shown interest but the answer they’re more concerned with involves clearing cap room for next offseason.

 

Given the individual-centered, pass rarely, play defense never approach Don Nelson has to basketball, it’s clear the only place for Allen Iverson is the Golden State circus.

 

David Lee—Restricted Free Agent: New York Knicks

 

Lee is a bouncy rebounder who can knock down wide open jumpers, occasionally drive to the basket, and who always plays with maximum hustle. Conversely, his defense is non-existent and he has trouble creating his own offense consistently.

 

Both Lee, and his agent Mark Bartelstein, overvalue Lee’ worth, asking for star money at $10 million dollars annually. Instead, in a perfect world, Lee is a high-end bench player on a great team, or a fourth option on a good one.

 

The Knicks had plans to try to acquire two major free agents in 2009-2010, including mega-stars LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, among others. With the sinking economy and news of a lower salary cap, the Knicks won’t have as much cap room as they anticipated, which is why they’re more than willing to try to let another team set the market for Lee.

 

The Hawks would love Lee’s ability to rebound and run. So too would the Sixers and Hornets.

 

The Lakers would love an upgrade over Josh Powell, though it’s doubtful Lee would want to be a fourth big man in a rotation. Golden State puts no premium on defense, so Lee’s athleticism and rebounding will find playing time by the bay.

 

In the end though, Lee’s best bet is to stay with the Knicks.

 

Nate Robinson—Restricted Free Agent: New York Knicks

 

Robinson has a world of talent. He has unlimited range, can leap skyscrapers, is a tough finisher, has a lethal first step and a filthy crossover.

 

• What can’t he do?
• Stop his emotions from getting the best of him
• Run an offense
• Do anything defensively besides reaching and gambling
• Follow a coaches’ instructions
• Make simple plays instead of trying to hit home runs on every possession
• Understand shot selection
• Grow up

Where’s the best place for Robinson?

 

Disneyland or Six Flags Great Adventure.

 

Any free-wheeling, fun-loving, team that doesn‘t care about discipline or is starved for talent. Golden State, Phoenix, the Clippers, Sacramento, Minnesota, and Milwaukee fit those descriptions best.

 

It should be noted that if Robinson ever experiences puberty, not a single team in the league wouldn’t love to have his nuclear talents.

 

Raymond Felton—Restricted Free Agent: Charlotte Bobcats

 

Felton is a rare commodity in Charlotte—he’s actually respectable at creating his own offense—so it’s doubtful the Bobcats won’t match any offer made for him unless it’s a gross overpayment. But bad teams looking for starting point guard or good teams looking for a backup could use Felton.

 

Sacramento, Indiana, Philadelphia, New York, and Boston make sense, but he’s Charlotte’s to lose.

 

Ramon Sessions—Restricted Free Agent: Milwaukee

 

With Brandon Jennings the future, and Luke Ridnour the backup, Milwaukee won’t match any decent offer made for Sessions. He’s a small, quick playmaker who makes the most of his opportunities.

 

His lack of size and stature has scared off many teams, but any squad looking for a talented young backup would love Sessions. Especially, Atlanta, Indiana, Toronto, and the Knicks.

 

Bruce Bowen—Unrestricted Free Agent

 

Bowen isn’t the standout he once was, but he can still play above-average defense for spot minutes off the bench.

 

It’s likely he’d only go to a contender so that eliminates two-thirds of the league, and most teams already have a handful of defensive stoppers. But Boston has never found a replacement for James Posey and it’s a lot to ask of Paul Pierce to be the team’s primary scorer, and primary stopper. For 12-15 minutes a game, Bowen could be invaluable to the Celtics.

Glen Davis—Restricted Free Agent: Boston Celtics

 

Davis is a tough rebounder who can hit mid-range jumpers and bull his way into points inside the paint. But he’s not a particularly quick perimeter defender and is undersized down low. With Leon Powe and Kevin Garnett returning from injuries, and Rasheeed Wallace added to the mix, Davis could be the fifth big in Boston’s rotation, meaning the Celtics might not match a sizable contract offer made to Big Baby.

 

The Bobcats would love Davis’ versatile, if limited offense, and his energetic, wrecking ball hustle. Portland could use more brawn at the power forward position, as would the Wizards.

 

In the end, because of Boston’s frontcourt age, expect the two sides to reach an agreement where Davis stays in Boston.

 

Leon Powe—Restricted Free Agent: Boston Celtics

 

Powe falls into roughly the same category as Davis as he too could be a fifth big man in a rotation, lessening the chances he’s resigned. However, Powe is coming off microfracture surgery, which probably means he won’t have the same athleticism and explosion he had before the surgery.

 

Still, Powe is rugged, physical, and can score from the post, all valuable commodities to winning teams. If a team is willing to weigh the injury risk, they may wind up with a great backup or a low-end starter.

 

Sacramento isn’t going anywhere, and it’s doubtful Sean May will be better than a post-microfracture Powe. Toronto can use his toughness, as can Portland.

 

Because of his injury though, expect him to be given a qualifying offer and stay in Boston.

 

Linas Kleiza—Restricted Free Agent: Denver Nuggets

 

There’s little reason for the Nuggets not to sign Kleiza, a valuable shooter with good toughness. Kleiza can’t defend, and he’s not an athlete by any stretch of the imagination, so his role as point-maker off the bench is perfect for him.

 

Other teams that can use his scoring include the Rockets, Heat, Bobcats, Pacers, and Kings.

 

Von Wafer—Unrestricted Free Agent

 

Wafer can put the ball on the floor to create his own shot, and can plug his open jumpers. Any team looking to bolster its bench offense can use Wafer.

 

He’d be an auto-upgrade over Sasha Vujacic in Los Angeles, and would bring valuable offense back to Houston. Miami and Philadelphia would be his next best options.

Stephon Marbury—Unrestricted Free Agent

 

His days as a valuable basketball player may be over, but what bottom-feeding team couldn’t use a Vaseline-eating car-wrecking disaster to distract fans from the on court disasters during games?

 

Given that the Knicks appear headed for another fruitless season, it’s only proper that Marbury take his side show back to New York City. Knicks fans will need a scapegoat after they realize they won’t be able to sign LeBron in 2010, and Marbury, as always, needs the biggest spotlight possible.

 

If that bridge has been burned down, what better way for the Sacramento Kings to prove they still exist than by having Marbury refuse to enter a game sometime next January? Geoff Petrie, the ball is in your hands.

[Universe]

Nets - None

 

David Lee would be the easy choice but his contract would be huge and we aren't into giving out huge contracts to anyone right now. Glen Davis and Powe would be the next option but with both looking for long term deals and neither are really starting caliber forwards, there is really no point.

 

Allen Iverson would be neat for a one year deal with Harris and whoever else is on the court but that's extremely unlikely.

 

Nice article.

[Dash]

Good read, nice work.

 

Kleiza is interesting but signing him would cause a logjam at the 3.

 

Houston doesn't seem to be pursuing any free agents atm.

Edited August 5, 2009 by Dash

[Riot]

Best for the Magic - Raymond Felton. There's a rumor going on right now that Orlando might try to trade for him, of course it's just a rumor for now, but still. We're already stacked at PF so we don't need Lee. Felton would be amazing for us, coming off the bench right after Jameer.

[Jenneral]

Nice article.

 

I really wish the Bucks would re-sign Sessions. He's a proven starter for our team... what if Jennings doesn't pan out? Then we're stuck with Ridnour who was a huge disappointment last season. I just wish we'd start Sessions this season, and then maybe move Jennings into the starter role after that.

[BlueDevil]

Raptors- Iverson or Bowen

- the raps still dont have a clear cut starting SG, so Iverson could work out there. If he wanted to he could play good defence to, something the Raps are struggling with, but he rarely plays D.

Bowen on the other hand could be a great bench player who could come in and play lockdown D on the oppositions best player.

The Raps will get neither, however.

[Erick Blasco]

Nets - None

 

David Lee would be the easy choice but his contract would be huge and we aren't into giving out huge contracts to anyone right now. Glen Davis and Powe would be the next option but with both looking for long term deals and neither are really starting caliber forwards, there is really no point.

 

Allen Iverson would be neat for a one year deal with Harris and whoever else is on the court but that's extremely unlikely.

 

Nice article.

 

Also, with the Nets, they have a glut of good backup-type big men like Josh Boone, Eduardo Najera, and Tony Battie, plus the Sean Williams and Yi Jianlian experiments. There's no room for more forwards.

 

Iverson would sell seats, even if he does hinder Courtney Lee's development. That may be reason alone to sign him with the way the Nets lose money.

[Erick Blasco]

Good read, nice work.

 

Kleiza is interesting but signing him would cause a logjam at the 3.

 

Houston doesn't seem to be pursuing any free agents atm.

 

They don't really have much cap space or cap room, but they can use him as one of their backup small forwards. If McGrady doesn't come back and perform, the Rockets have Ariza and not much else at the three. At the two, they'd have Shane Battier and Brent Barry would be the backup. One more wing could do wonders for them.

[Erick Blasco]

Best for the Magic - Raymond Felton. There's a rumor going on right now that Orlando might try to trade for him, of course it's just a rumor for now, but still. We're already stacked at PF so we don't need Lee. Felton would be amazing for us, coming off the bench right after Jameer.

 

I like that move. Felton should be a talented backup for the Magic. My guess would be that the Magic would want someone with more experience but they could do a lot worse. They'll almost certainly have to trade for him, I'm pretty sure they used up their exceptions.

[Erick Blasco]

Nice article.

 

I really wish the Bucks would re-sign Sessions. He's a proven starter for our team... what if Jennings doesn't pan out? Then we're stuck with Ridnour who was a huge disappointment last season. I just wish we'd start Sessions this season, and then maybe move Jennings into the starter role after that.

 

With Milwaukee's cap situation, they don't want to take on any salary. Since they're totally committed to Jennings, they're at a situation where they're almost forced to put all their eggs in his basket.

[Erick Blasco]

Raptors- Iverson or Bowen

- the raps still dont have a clear cut starting SG, so Iverson could work out there. If he wanted to he could play good defence to, something the Raps are struggling with, but he rarely plays D.

Bowen on the other hand could be a great bench player who could come in and play lockdown D on the oppositions best player.

The Raps will get neither, however.

 

Bowen wouldn't want to play for a team that won't win a ring, and the Raptors have so many shooting guards that Iverson would just make a muddy situation even muddier.

[BlueDevil]

Bowen wouldn't want to play for a team that won't win a ring, and the Raptors have so many shooting guards that Iverson would just make a muddy situation even muddier.

Oh I didnt think they COULD get either, just 2 ppl I would like them to get. With Iverson, Demar and Wright would likely move to the 3.

But like I said, they couldnt get either so no big worry.

[Built Ford Tough]

Good article, Erick.

 

One thing though, I don't see any reason why Toronto would want Sessions or how he would be a good fit on the team. Before signing Jarrett Jack I would definitely agree with you, buy seeing how they are going to be paying Jack around $4-5M per season and the fact that it would take something similar in order to get Sessions to the team (and they only have the minimum to work with), the Raptors would have like $19M tied up between their point guards, and one of them, either Sessions or Jack, would hardly even play. Sessions would not be a good fit for the Raptors as they already have a starting caliber point guard in Jose Calderon and a more than capable backup point guard in Jarrett Jack.

 

Good article though.

[Erick Blasco]

Good article, Erick.

 

One thing though, I don't see any reason why Toronto would want Sessions or how he would be a good fit on the team. Before signing Jarrett Jack I would definitely agree with you, buy seeing how they are going to be paying Jack around $4-5M per season and the fact that it would take something similar in order to get Sessions to the team (and they only have the minimum to work with), the Raptors would have like $19M tied up between their point guards, and one of them, either Sessions or Jack, would hardly even play. Sessions would not be a good fit for the Raptors as they already have a starting caliber point guard in Jose Calderon and a more than capable backup point guard in Jarrett Jack.

 

Good article though.

 

Oh man, I completely forgot about Jack. That one's on me.