NBA Free Agency Watch - NBA 2K11

Report: Air Jordan on Cover, Possibly Playable in NBA 2K11

ESPN, citing multiple unnamed sources, says 2K Sports is pursuing basketball's greatest player ever, Michael Jordan, for the cover of NBA 2K11 and may have plans to feature him as a playable character in the game.
Jon Robinson, ESPN's sports gaming columnist, adds that he's "heard whispers" that 2K has been in negotiations with Jordan's teammates and opponents to appear in NBA 2K11. That fuels speculation that Jordan will be playable in the game, at least in recreated his iconic career moments - such as his 44 points and game-winning jumper against Cleveland in the first round of the 1989 playoffs, or the shoulder-shrugging 35-point first-half performance against Portland in the 1992 NBA Finals. Or berating Kwame Brown during practice in his second comeback with the Washington Wizards.
Robinson also notes that, if Jordan does make the cover, it'll be the first time any team executive has appeared on the cover of a sports video game. Jordan is the majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats.
I emailed 2K Sports who, understandably, hasn't answered the request for comment. It's a good bet more on this will be known at E3 next month.
Though up-and-comers like Derrick Rose and Tyreke Evans have been rumored for the slot, 2K's cover decision might be motivated by the publisher's need to outdo itself. Last year's NBA 2K10 featured Kobe Bryant. There's only one player to go to if you're trying to top Bryant, after a championship year no less, and if LeBron James said no thanks, only a hall-of-famer like Jordan would represent a step up. 2K Sports has spared little expense or effort to defend its marquee title's top-of-the-heap status, so pursuing Jordan would be very much in character for them.
But when I heard 2K was considering an awesome dunker with ties to Charlotte's NBA franchise, I thought they were gonna stick Rex Chapman on the cover. Still no love for the original Hornets. Sad.







Tampering of a different kind: LeBron, Wade and Johnson to discuss plans together
msnbc.com
It's a whole different kind of collusion, and there is nothing the league can do about it.
Some time next month, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Joe Johnson are all going to sit down together and talk free agency plans, Wade told the Chicago Tribune. All before the July 1 official start to free agency.
"(Free agency) has been three years coming," Wade said. "We've discussed it prematurely, at different times. (But) you don't know what guys are thinking and where they're going. I think we'll all sit down, and before one of us makes a decision, all of us will have spoken to each other and (listened to the) thinking.
"A lot of decisions (will be based on) what other players are willing to do and what other guys want to do. So it's not just a 'me' situation here. We all have to look and see what each other is thinking."
Bottom line, they are going to choreograph the dance. They will work to set up package deals.
The players will talk with each other, and unofficially they will know what the teams are thinking (although they won't say that). The NBA has a tampering problem, it just can't really do anything about it. Oh, sure they can fine Mark Cuban or Steve Kerr when they foolishly speak on the record about such things, they can make a big show, but it doesn't really solve the problem.
Back channel conversations are a constant in the NBA. A whole separate network of discussions goes on through intermediaries. Talks that are unofficial because the two main parties don't speak directly. For example, R Nets president Rod Thorn emphatically denied having reached out to Phil Jackson -- and Jackson backing him up -- to discuss their coaching vacancy. But that is an easy conversation to have quietly, with a contact of the new owner reaching out to an associate of Jackson's to just gauge interest. In this case that conversation may or may not have happened, but the point is it easily could have. And similar conversations do happen all the time.
So when the players all get on the conference call next month, they are going to have a lot of information. By the time July 1 rolls around, our own Ira Winderman pointed that teams will know who is available.
But it looks like the players (and their agents) will be picking the dance partners, not the other way around.

Lebron Watch

1. How Will The LeBron Situation Play Out?
ESPN.com

Henry Abbott, TrueHoop: I think he'll go wherever he thinks he can win the most championships as soon as possible. The two most important kinds of teammates he can have are a good big man and a good point guard.
Miami and New York have neither, but either could pair him with another free agent (or two). Chicago has Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah, and New Jersey might be able to provide John Wall and Brook Lopez, so those are interesting options.
But nobody can deliver a knockout roster immediately, so the Cavaliers stay in the hunt.

J.A. Adande, ESPN.com: He might take the tour around the league because he likes the attention, but it's hard to see a better situation for him than Chicago, where he could have a potential Hall of Fame sidekick in Derrick Rose and plenty of supporting cast members such as Joakim Noah.
At times in Chicago's first-round series versus the Cavaliers, the only thing keeping the Bulls from winning was LeBron. Imagine if he joined them.

Chris Broussard, ESPN The Magazine: LeBron will visit Chicago (45 percent chance he lands there), New York (18 percent chance) and possibly other places. He'll soul-search about whether he can win titles in Cleveland, where they don't have a ton of roster flexibility. He'll consult other free agents about playing in New York and Chicago. At end of the day, I think he chooses Chicago.

John Hollinger, ESPN.com: He'll soak up all the attention and do the full tour. But at the end of the day I think he's going to try to rig it so he, Wade and Bosh end up on same team, or at least two of them. Right now, that's most plausible in Miami.

Chris Sheridan, ESPN.com: Between now and July 1, the pendulum will swing hard in various directions, and it'll swing harder after that. But when it comes time for the sales pitches to begin, my money is on Mr. Smooth, Pat Riley.
I also wouldn't be shocked if LeBron, Wade and a third free agent all took four-year deals with three-year opt-outs, which means the next Summer of LeBron could come as soon as 2013.

Marc Stein, ESPN.com: I never would have imagined seeing the stay-in-Cleveland numbers so low in mid-May, but I still see staying with the Cavs as the most likely LeBron scenario. It's just not going to be that easy for him to walk away from Dan Gilbert's spare-no-expense ownership -- which might well result in the hiring of John Calipari before the Bulls get him -- and the latest episode of sports torture for the fans in LeBron's backyard … torture with his name on it.
But he's definitely going to take a long look at all the options, even with those Ohio ties, so allow me to spotlight one team in addition to the rising LeBron-to-Chicago speculation, Pat Riley/Dwyane Wade in Miami and the usual New York chatter: New Jersey. If the Nets get John Wall in the lottery to go with new owner Mikhail Prokhorov's riches, LeBron has to listen. Has to.



He doesn't Need New York
By Chris Broussard
ESPN The Magazine
The notion that every player -- or at least every star player -- in the NBA wants to play in New York tickles me.
In the early 2000s, while a Knicks beat writer for The New York Times, I remember being baffled because many of my colleagues and readers thought every skilled free agent was headed to New York -- even though all the Knicks could offer such max-salary talent was the midlevel exception. They thought Grant Hill would leave Detroit for the Knicks (for less coin) and Chris Webber would spurn Sacramento for the Big Apple (and chump change).
Now, New York assumes it's getting LeBron James. At least the Knicks actually have the salary-cap space to pull this off. But while New York has a decent shot at LeBron, the idea that LeBron -- or any other great player -- needs New York or harbors this intense desire to play there is a joke.
LeBron, an endorsement king, is already the face of the NBA, despite being ringless in tiny Cleveland. The Internet and globalization have largely made where a player plays irrelevant in regard to marketing and popularity. So to suggest LeBron needs New York is nuts.

The only thing that can make him bigger is a title, not a town.



LeBron owes it to Cleveland to stay
www.msnbc.com
The LeBron Saga, Part XXVII, in which our hero leaves Cleveland and is forever looked upon by residents of that city as if he were a resident of Pittsburgh.
As all the LeBron speculation and intrigue swirls around the regular-season MVP and where he might end up next after his earlier-than-expected vacation is over, little has been said about how he will be regarded in Cleveland and surrounding areas if he does indeed bail.
Needless to say, it won’t be pretty. Sales of LeBron jerseys in the area will plummet; sales of LeBron effigies will skyrocket. And there would be good reason for that.
If LeBron James leaves the Cavaliers, it wouldn’t be as if he were leaving the Clippers, who, in the NBA’s "Guide to Championship Basketball," are featured only in the chapter, "Don’t Let This Happen To You."
Instead, he will be bolting a franchise that did everything it could to surround him with a team capable of competing for a championship. Of course it didn’t work out that way. But the effort by ownership and management to make it happen was there. At no time did the club say, "That’s enough, LeBron. You should be able to win with what you have."
The Cavaliers’ entire existence in the past couple of years seems to have been dedicated to pleasing LeBron, knowing free agency would happen after this season. Yes, he probably is the best player in the world right now. But if LeBron ends up jilting Cleveland, he will be the most prominent ingrate who ever played the game.
Add to it that he is from Akron and would basically be turning his back on his own people and LeBron James will be pronounced “LeBron $@!%!” in those parts.
LeBron should stay in Cleveland. If he doesn’t, he’ll accomplish something previously believed to be impossible: He’ll raise Art Modell’s name above his in the estimation of the Ohio citizenry.

2009 NBA FREE AGENTS

Top free-agent point guards (according to CBSSports.com's NBA Player Rankings)
Rank Player Team Rating Free-agent status
1. Andre Miller PHI 82.15 Unrestricted
2. Jason Kidd DAL 79.45 Unrestricted
3. Raymond Felton CHA 78.54 Restricted
4. Mike Bibby ATL 77.05 Unrestricted
5. Nate Robinson NY 74.28 Restricted
6. Jarrett Jack IND 74.09 Restricted
7. Ramon Sessions MIL 70.29 Restricted
8. Ronald "Flip" Murray ATL 65.00 Unrestricted
9. C.J. Watson GS 64.38 Restricted
10. Anthony Carter DEN 58.10 Unrestricted




Top free-agent shooting guards (according to CBSSports.com's NBA Player Rankings)
Rank Player Team Rating Free-agent status
1. Ben Gordon CHI 83.47 Unrestricted
2. Grant Hill PHO 73.85 Unrestricted
3. Anthony Parker TOR 72.39 Unrestricted
4. Jamario Moon MIA 66.37 Restricted
5. Allen Iverson DET 60.01 Unrestricted
6. Eddie House BOS 58.78 Unrestricted/Player option
7. Dahntay Jones DEN 55.83 Unrestricted
8. Marquis Daniels IND 51.67 Unrestricted
9. Von Wafer HOU 47.33 Unrestricted
10. Keith Bogans MIL 45.80 Unrestricted




Top free-agent small forwards (according to CBSSports.com's NBA Player Rankings)
Rank Player Team Rating Free-agent status
1. Hedo Turkoglu ORL 79.83 Unrestricted
2. Ron Artest HOU 73.87 Unrestricted
3. Matt Barnes PHO 66.26 Unrestricted
4. Trevor Ariza LAL 65.55 Unrestricted
5. Kyle Korver UTA 63.74 Unrestricted/Early termination option
6. Marvin Williams ATL 63.69 Restricted
7. Linas Kleiza DEN 62.15 Restricted
8. Wally Szczerbiak CLE 58.02 Unrestricted
9. Joey Graham TOR 57.91 Restricted
10. Steve Novak LAC 51.03 Restricted




Top free-agent power forwards (according to CBSSports.com's NBA Player Rankings)
Rank Player Team Rating Free-agent status
1. David Lee NY 83.14 Restricted
2. Al Harrington NY 75.72 Unrestricted/Player option
3. Paul Millsap UTA 73.82 Restricted
4. Charlie Villanueva MIL 72.79 Restricted
5. Shawn Marion TOR 72.56 Unrestricted
6. Hakim Warrick MEM 65.75 Restricted
7. Rasheed Wallace DET 63.92 Unrestricted
8. Brandon Bass DAL 59.54 Unrestricted
9. Antonio McDyess DET 59.24 Unrestricted
10. Chris Andersen DEN 56.94 Unrestricted




Top free-agent centers (according to CBSSports.com's NBA Player Rankings)
Rank Player Team Rating Free-agent status
1. Mehmet Okur UTA 75.13 Unrestricted/Early termination option
2. Anderson Varejao CLE 66.71 Unrestricted
3. Zydrunas Ilgauskas CLE 60.39 Unrestricted/Early termination option
4. Zaza Pachulia ATL 55.70 Unrestricted
5. Rasho Nesterovic IND 51.08 Unrestricted
6. Francisco Elson MIL 38.72 Unrestricted/Player option
7. Joel Anthony MIA 38.50 Restricted
8. Kwame Brown DET 37.52 Unrestricted/player option
9. Johan Petro DEN 20.59 Unrestricted
10. Ryan Hollins DAL 18.42 Unrestricted





EASTERN CONFERENCE FREE AGENTS

ATLANTA HAWKS

Player Pos DOB Exp. Status
Thomas Gardner SG 02/08/85 2 Restricted
Othello Hunter SF 05/28/86 1 Restricted
Solomon Jones PF 07/16/84 3 Restricted
Ronald "Flip" Murray PG 07/29/79 7 Unrestricted
Zaza Pachulia C 02/10/84 6 Unrestricted
Mario West SG 06/19/84 1 Restricted
Marvin Williams SF 06/19/86 4 Restricted
Re-signed Pos DOB Exp. Status
Mike Bibby PG 05/13/78 11 Signed on July 8


BOSTON CELTICS

Player Pos DOB Exp. Status
Glen Davis PF 01/01/86 2 Restricted
Stephon Marbury PG 02/20/77 13 Unrestricted
Mikki Moore PF 11/04/75 11 Unrestricted
Leon Powe PF 01/22/84 3 Restricted
Re-signed Pos DOB Exp. Status
Eddie House SG 05/14/78 9 Does not exercise player option, returns to Celtics (June 30)
Additions Pos DOB Exp. Status
Rasheed Wallace PF 09/17/74 14 Acquired from Detroit (July 8)


CHARLOTTE BOBCATS

Player Pos DOB Exp. Status
Raymond Felton PG 06/26/84 4 Restricted
Juwan Howard PF 02/07/73 15 Unrestricted
Cartier Martin PF 11/20/84 1 Restricted
Sean May PF 04/04/84 3 Unrestricted
Sean Singletary PG 09/06/85 1 Restricted/Team option


CHICAGO BULLS

Player Pos DOB Exp. Status
Aaron Gray C 12/07/84 2 Restricted
Lindsey Hunter SG 12/03/70 16 Unrestricted
Jerome James PF 11/17/75 8 Unrestricted/Player option
Subtractions Pos DOB Exp. Status
Ben Gordon SG 04/04/83 4 Signed with Detroit (July 8)


CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

Player Pos DOB Exp. Status
Joe Smith PF 07/26/75 14 Unrestricted
Wally Szczerbiak SF 03/05/77 10 Unrestricted
Anderson Varejao C 09/28/82 5 Unrestricted
Lorenzen Wright C 11/04/75 12 Unrestricted
Re-signed Pos DOB Exp. Status
Zydrunas Ilgauskas C 06/05/75 11 Opts not to terminate contract, returns to Cavs (June 30)


DETROIT PISTONS

Player Pos DOB Exp. Status
Walter Herrmann SF 06/26/79 2 Unrestricted
Allen Iverson SG 06/07/85 13 Unrestricted
Re-signed Pos DOB Exp. Status
Kwame Brown C 03/10/82 7 Does not exercise player option, returns to Pistons (June 30)
Additions Pos DOB Exp. Status
Ben Gordon SG 04/04/83 4 Acquired from Chicago (July 8)
Charlie Villanueva PF 08/24/84 4 Acquired from Milwaukee (July 8)
Subtractions Pos DOB Exp. Status
Antonio McDyess PF 09/07/74 13 Agrees to terms with San Antonio (July 8)
Rasheed Wallace PF 09/17/74 14 Signed with Boston (July 8)


INDIANA PACERS

Player Pos DOB Exp. Status
Maceo Baston SF 05/26/76 4 Unrestricted
Marquis Daniels SG 01/07/81 6 Unrestricted
Stephen Graham SF 06/11/82 4 Unrestricted
Jarrett Jack PG 10/28/83 4 Restricted
Josh McRoberts PF 02/28/87 2 Restricted
Rasho Nesterovic C 05/30/76 11 Unrestricted


MIAMI HEAT

Player Pos DOB Exp. Status
Joel Anthony C 08/09/82 2 Restricted
Mark Blount C 11/30/75 9 Unrestricted
Luther Head PG 11/26/82 4 Unrestricted
Jamaal Magloire C 05/21/78 8 Unrestricted
Jamario Moon SG 06/13/80 2 Restricted


MILWAUKEE BUCKS

Player Pos DOB Exp. Status
Malik Allen PF 06/27/78 7 Unrestricted/Player option
Keith Bogans SG 05/12/80 6 Unrestricted
Francisco Elson C 02/28/76 5 Unrestricted/Player option
Damon Jones PG 08/25/76 11 Unrestricted
Ramon Sessions PG 04/11/86 2 Restricted
Subtractions Pos DOB Exp. Status
Charlie Villanueva PF 08/24/84 4 Signed with Detroit (July 8)


NEW JERSEY NETS

Player Pos DOB Exp. Status
Maurice Ager SG 02/09/84 3 Unrestricted
Re-signed Pos DOB Exp. Status
Jarvis Hayes SF 08/09/81 6 Nets pick up team option (June 30)


NEW YORK KNICKS

Player Pos DOB Exp. Status
Eddy Curry C 12/05/82 8 Unrestricted/Early termination option
Al Harrington PF 02/17/80 11 Unrestricted/Player option
David Lee PF 04/29/83 4 Restricted
Nate Robinson PG 05/31/84 4 Restricted
Chris Wilcox PF 09/03/82 7 Unrestricted


ORLANDO MAGIC

Player Pos DOB Exp. Status
Adonal Foyle C 03/09/75 11 Unrestricted
Marcin Gortat PF 02/17/84 2 Restricted
Anthony Johnson PG 10/02/74 11 Unrestricted
Tyronn Lue PG 05/03/77 11 Unrestricted
Jeremy Richardson SF 03/01/84 3 Restricted
Hedo Turkoglu SF 03/19/79 9 Unrestricted


PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

Player Pos DOB Exp. Status
Royal Ivey PG 12/20/81 4 Unrestricted
Donyell Marshall PF 05/18/73 15 Unrestricted
Andre Miller PG 03/19/76 10 Unrestricted
Theo Ratliff C 04/17/73 13 Unrestricted
Kareem Rush SG 10/30/80 5 Unrestricted


TORONTO RAPTORS

Player Pos DOB Exp. Status
Carlos Delfino SG 08/29/82 4 Restricted
Joey Graham SF 06/11/82 4 Restricted
Shawn Marion PF 05/07/78 10 Unrestricted
Pops Mensah-Bonsu PF 09/07/83 2 Restricted
Anthony Parker SG 06/19/75 6 Unrestricted
Jake Voskuhl C 11/01/77 9 Unrestricted


WASHINGTON WIZARDS

Player Pos DOB Exp. Status
Juan Dixon SG 10/09/78 6 Unrestricted


WESTERN CONFERENCE FREE AGENTS

DALLAS MAVERICKS

Player Pos DOB Exp. Status
Brandon Bass PF 04/30/85 4 Unrestricted
Gerald Green SG 01/26/86 4 Unrestricted
Ryan Hollins C 10/10/84 3 Restricted
Jason Kidd PG 03/23/73 15 Unrestricted
James Singleton PF 07/20/81 5 Unrestricted
Re-signed Pos DOB Exp. Status
Devean George SG 08/29/77 9 Exercises player option to return to Mavs (June 30)
Additions Pos DOB Exp. Status
Quinton Ross SF 04/30/81 5 Acquired from Memphis (July 8)


DENVER NUGGETS

Player Pos DOB Exp. Status
Anthony Carter PG 06/16/75 9 Unrestricted
Jason Hart PG 04/29/78 8 Unrestricted
Dahntay Jones SG 12/27/80 5 Unrestricted
Linas Kleiza SF 01/03/85 4 Restricted
Johan Petro C 01/27/86 4 Unrestricted
Re-signed Pos DOB Exp. Status
Chris Andersen PF 07/07/78 7 Signed on July 8
Steven Hunter PF 10/31/81 1 Did not opt out, will return to Nuggets (June 30)


GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

Player Pos DOB Exp. Status
Rob Kurz PF 03/05/85 1 Restricted
C.J. Watson PG 04/17/84 2 Restricted


HOUSTON ROCKETS

Player Pos DOB Exp. Status
Von Wafer SG 07/21/85 3 Unrestricted
Player Pos DOB Exp. Status
Trevor Ariza SF 06/30/85 5 Acquired from L.A. Lakers (July 8)
Subtractions Pos DOB Exp. Status
Ron Artest SF 11/13/79 9 Signs with L.A. Lakers (July 8)


LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

Player Pos DOB Exp. Status
Alex Acker G 01/21/83 2 Unrestricted
Fred Jones SG 03/11/79 7 Unrestricted
Steve Novak SF 06/13/83 3 Restricted
Brian Skinner PF 05/19/76 10 Unrestricted
Re-signed Pos DOB Exp. Status
Ricky Davis SG 09/23/79 10 Exercised player option to return to Clippers (June 30)


LOS ANGELES LAKERS

Player Pos DOB Exp. Status
Lamar Odom PF 11/06/79 10 Unrestricted
Re-signed Pos DOB Exp. Status
Shannon Brown PG 11/29/85 3 Signed July 8
Additions Pos DOB Exp. Status
Ron Artest SF 11/13/79 9 Acquired from Houston (July 8)
Subtractions Pos DOB Exp. Status
Trevor Ariza SF 06/30/85 5 Signed with Houston (July 8)


MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES

Player Pos DOB Exp. Status
Chris Mihm C 07/16/79 8 Unrestricted
Juan Carlos Navarro PG 06/13/80 1 Restricted
Hakim Warrick PF 07/08/82 4 Restricted
Mike Wilks PG 05/07/79 6 Unrestricted
Subtractions Pos DOB Exp. Status
Quinton Ross SF 04/30/81 5 Signs with Dallas (July 8)


MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES

Player Pos DOB Exp. Status
Rodney Carney SF 04/05/84 3 Unrestricted
Jason Collins C 12/02/78 8 Unrestricted
Kevin Ollie PG 12/27/72 12 Unrestricted
Shelden Williams PF 10/21/83 3 Unrestricted
Re-signed Pos DOB Exp. Status
Bobby Brown PG 09/24/84 1 Exercised player option, will return to Wolves (June 30)


NEW ORLEANS HORNETS

Player Pos DOB Exp. Status
Ryan Bowen SF 11/20/75 8 Unrestricted
Melvin Ely C 05/02/78 6 Unrestricted
Sean Marks C 08/23/75 8 Unrestricted
Re-signed Pos DOB Exp. Status
Devin Brown SG 12/30/78 6 Exercises player option, re-signs with New Orleans (June 5)


OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER

Player Pos DOB Exp. Status
Desmond Mason SF 10/11/77 9 Unrestricted
Malik Rose PF 11/23/74 13 Unrestricted
Robert Swift C 12/03/85 4 Unrestricted
Re-signed Pos DOB Exp. Status
Damien Wilkins SG 01/11/80 5 Does not use early termination option, will return to Thunder (June 30)


PHOENIX SUNS

Player Pos DOB Exp. Status
Matt Barnes SF 03/09/80 6 Unrestricted
Grant Hill SG 10/05/72 14 Unrestricted
Stromile Swift C 11/21/79 9 Unrestricted
Re-signed Pos DOB Exp. Status
Louis Amundson PF 12/07/82 3 Suns pick up option for 2009-10 (June 30)


PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

Player Pos DOB Exp. Status
Channing Frye PF 05/17/83 4 Restricted
Raef LaFrentz PF 05/29/76 10 Unrestricted
Shavlik Randolph PF 11/24/83 3 Unrestricted
Michael Ruffin C 01/21/77 9 Unrestricted


SAN ANTONIO SPURS

Player Pos DOB Exp. Status
Drew Gooden PF 09/24/81 7 Unrestricted
Ime Udoka SF 08/09/77 5 Unrestricted
Jacque Vaughn PG 02/11/75 11 Unrestricted
Re-signed Pos DOB Exp. Status
Michael Finley SG 03/06/73 13 Exercises player option, returns to Spurs (June 30)
Additions Pos DOB Exp. Status
Antonio McDyess PF 09/07/74 13 Acquired from Detroit, agrees to terms on July 8


SACRAMENTO KINGS

Player Pos DOB Exp. Status
Calvin Booth C 05/07/76 10 Unrestricted
Ike Diogu PF 09/11/83 4 Restricted
Bobby Jackson PG 03/13/73 12 Unrestricted
Rashad McCants SG 09/25/84 4 Restricted
Cedric Simmons SF 01/03/86 3 Unrestricted


UTAH JAZZ

Player Pos DOB Exp. Status
Morris Almond SG 02/02/85 2 Unrestricted
Jarron Collins C 12/02/78 8 Unrestricted
Brevin Knight PG 11/08/75 12 Unrestricted
Paul Millsap PF 02/10/85 2 Restricted
Ronnie Price PG 06/21/83 4 Unrestricted
Re-signed Pos DOB Exp. Status
Carlos Boozer PF 11/20/81 7 Exercises player option, returns to Jazz (June 30)
Kyrylo Fesenko C 12/24/86 2 Utah exercises team option (June 12)
Kyle Korver SF 03/17/81 6 Does not opt out, returns to Jazz (June 30)
Mehmet Okur C 05/26/79 7 Does not opt out, returns to Jazz (June 30)

2009 NBA Free Agents

2009 NBA Unrestricted free agents
I have placed the players I think the Cavs should consider in bold! What do you think and who do you think the Cavs should go after if anyone?????


1. Hedo Turkoglu, F, Magic

If I'm trying to win a title, I want Turkoglu. As a shooter, as a matchup headache, as a point forward, as a locker-room guy. Orlando can play hardball with him now, though, with Vince Carter in the house. Detroit and Sacramento might be wooing him, but Portland or even Oklahoma City would suit his skills and leadership better. He passed up $7.3 million next season with the Magic but can gain security with a new contract.

2. Ben Gordon, G, Bulls

It's tricky with Gordon -- he wants starter's minutes and money, but he is best equipped for a sixth-man role. He also is dragging old paradigms, as they say, into this new sober market: He turned down deals from Chicago worth $50 million and more than that might be tough to find now. His alleged No. 1 option after the Bulls, the Pistons, might spend their money elsewhere or horde for 2010. It doesn't help his leverage that John Salmons picked up so much scoring slack late this season.

3. Trevor Ariza, F, L.A. Lakers

With defensive-stopper skills and work ethic, and with more scoring potential than guys known for that role (Bruce Bowen, Raja Bell, James Posey), losing Ariza would be a severe blow to the Lakers. GM Mitch Kupchak won't let it happen -- he picked up $3 million for pick No. 29 in last week's draft for a reason, y'know.

4. Jason Kidd, G, Mavericks

Ricky Rubio probably would be too raw to carry the New York Knicks on his back this season, even if Donnie Walsh could swing a deal with Minnesota. Steve Nash is a year away, maybe, from free agency. But Kidd is available now, and the Knicks might not be willing to wait for the others. Even at 37, the longtime Net-turned-short-time Maverick could shine for coach Mike D'Antoni (Nash never relied on foot speed). The Lakers could make sense, too, a couple of years later than first suggested. But getting Kidd's price down to the mid-level from $21.3 million might be requiring too much.

5. Lamar Odom, F, L.A. Lakers

Odom has the talent and versatility to plant a flag for just about any team's offense, but as he approaches 30, he doesn't appear to have the demeanor for it. He seems fine with his complementary role, but might not like being paid like a complementary player if he stays in L.A. He's valuable to the champs, but at what price?

6. Andre Miller, G, 76ers

Miller would be a nice pickup for a team seeking a veteran to mentor one of the many young point guards selected in last week's draft. Then again, he already is doing a nifty job of mentoring the young Sixers' squad, with rookie Jrue Holiday now poised to benefit. The Philadelphia Daily News reported that a three-year deal worth about $10 million annually is Miller's target.

7. Shawn Marion, F, Raptors

Unless Phoenix thinks it can hit the reset button completely on its high-octane style, there might be no better place for Marion than with the Raptors. He won't be making $17.8 million again next season, but franchise player Chris Bosh wants him back and GM Bryan Colangelo is OK with that. "He fits, he fits this roster," Colangelo told reporters last week. Marion fits Toronto better, frankly, than he fits the teams -- anyone? anyone? -- with both the cap space and an interest in pursuing him.

8. Rasheed Wallace, F/C, Pistons

It's Sheed's turn in the Chauncey Billups tank, a beloved hero of DEE-troit BAS-ketball to be cut loose. Whether he finds similar success in new whereabouts depends on his price tag and team selection. Wallace, who will be 35 by opening night, is said to want another hefty contract, but he's a tough player to project. Can he handle and adapt to a slip in skills? Can he find a home as comfy as the Pistons again? Dallas has interest, as long as he logs minutes at center. Atlanta, where Wallace had a cameo en route to Detroit, is an option. Cleveland makes sense, Orlando might, too. Then there's San Antonio, where the Spurs like him and kind of owe him, for straying from Robert Horry at the end of Game 5 in 2005.

9. Anderson Varejao, F/C, Cavaliers

Varejao won't have to worry this time around about a holdout that messes with next season -- he's a marketable commodity with some leverage now, so opting out of his $6.2 million contract for a freshened deal makes sense. As a physical, energetic player and mobile defender, he remains as valuable with Shaquille O'Neal around as he was before the big man arrived.

10. Ron Artest, F, Rockets

Hope is hard to come by in Houston at the moment, and one guy you don't want losing hope is Artest, because it easily could lead to him losing focus and discipline. Committing to this guy is like buying a used Jaguar -- exquisite capabilities, magnificent craftsmanship, but you could choke on the maintenance bills. The Rockets might want to focus on a more thorough retooling (i.e., summer of '10) and consider themselves fortunate Artest passed through their organization without major mishap. Only serious contenders need apply here.

11. Chris Andersen, F/C, Nuggets

The Birdman couldn't have selected a better time to soar, boosting the Nuggets to the Western Conference finals and becoming a cult figure not just in Denver, but around the NBA. It makes the most sense for him to stay where he is, the organization he sought when he had hit rock bottom, but pushing into the $5 million range annually might have the pesky defender/rebounder/shot-blocker migrating to another market.

12. Charlie Villanueva, F, Bucks

The 24-year-old forward had career highs in scoring (16.7) and rebounds (6.7) last season, but the Bucks are being careful with funds and prefer to focus on point guard Ramon Sessions. This could be good news for newly acquired Amir Johnson and a challenge for Villanueva, who might draw interest from Detroit and Cleveland.

13. Allen Iverson, G, Pistons

It isn't just Iverson's stock that has fallen dramatically the past two seasons -- it's his career status. Respected as the best pound-for-pound NBA star since Nate Archibald, his lack of (or even negative) impact on team results gained more attention with Denver's rise and Detroit's sag. What he brings to the court -- scoring, without much regard for the offense in which he plays -- isn't worth the $20.8 million he made last season. He might be looking at the rudest salary awakening since Latrell Sprewell sneered at three years, $21 million.

14. Mike Bibby, G, Hawks

Bibby, though he just turned 31, looks to be at a career crossroads. The team he helped buoy while it matured into a playoff contender is turning to other options at point guard (newly acquired Jamal Crawford, draftee Jeff Teague), so Bibby -- whose main stats were down slightly from his career averages -- will have to take a big cut from the $14.9 million he was paid last season or hit a market that already has Miller and Kidd.

15. Antonio McDyess, F/C, Pistons

The bad news on Yao Ming could be good news for players like McDyess, a still-solid pro who could fill Houston's sudden void in the middle. Other big men like Zaza Pachulia, Fabricio Oberto and Rasho Nesterovic should tell their agents to put Rockets GM Daryl Morey on speed dial. McDyess, who reportedly has a home in Houston, owes it to himself to pick a team where he won't be used as a trade tool, as happened with the Iverson deal last November.

16. Drew Gooden, F, Spurs

You would think Gooden might be tired of packing and unpacking by now, having spent time with six teams in his seven NBA seasons. But he might be enticed to move again, if someone wants a low-post scoring option with good rebounding skills.

17. Brandon Bass, F, Mavericks

For the mid-level payday he's seeking, Bass is an alluring package. He's 24, he's physical and plays bigger defensively than 6-foot-8 and he has the quickness to play in an up-tempo style. Assuming he doesn't get an offer beyond the expected mid-level of about $5.6 million to $5.8 million, Dallas can match without using its own mid-level. Bass' apparent willingness to fill a rotation spot, rather than a demand to start, improves his likelihood of staying put with the Mavs.

18. Channing Frye, F, Trail Blazers

Frye has been a bit player and his marketability wasn't helped when the Trail Blazers declined to make him a qualifying offer. Despite a "soft'' label, the 6-10 Frye had his moments with the Knicks before being traded in 2007. Then he largely got warehoused on Portland's talent-rich roster. He also didn't come back strong from surgery for bone chips prior to last season. He's priced right, coming off a $3.1 million salary last season.

19. Anthony Parker, G, Raptors

Parker, 34, is the sort of solid role player who could help a contender. Other shooting guards with some market value: Indiana's Marquis Daniels and Denver's Dahntay Jones.

20. Wally Szczerbiak, F, Cavaliers

Szczerbiak, after logging career lows in minutes (20.6) and scoring (7.0), figured to be a traveling man until the Cavs traded Sasha Pavlovic in the Shaq deal. Now, agent Gary Wichard said Tuesday, they might still have a place for his client's 41 percent three-point shooting, though at a bargain-basement rate from the $13.2 million his ever-popular expiring contract paid this season.

NBA salaries have to change

NBA salaries have to change
By Ira Winderman
NBCSports.com

Poverty or positioning?
Distress or deception?
Turmoil or tomfoolery?
This truly is a difficult one to decipher, the block-charge of all financial ledgers.
On one hand, the NBA takes out a $200 million line of credit to help its teams during this period of worldwide economic distress.
On the other hand, commissioner David Stern says his league must be in pretty good shape to merit such a loan in these times of tight cash.
On one hand, Stern talks about how changes will have to be made in the league's collective-bargaining agreement to reflect the economy.
On the other hand, it is too convenient to not declare distress when the current working agreement is two seasons from expiring.
That's not to say that the NBA is not suffering. Back in October, Stern already was making plans for a shrinking workforce in the league office. Teams have significantly trimmed staff as revenues wane.
Yet what better way to sweat out markets where new arenas are sought than to offer tangible evidence that your team already is on fiscal support, and that without new revenue streams, they might soon be gone?
In Sacramento, woe-is-we could not have been better timed. The Kings tap into the new credit line, voila, significant new arena talks.
Granted, this remains a world unto its isolated self.
As the staff member of one team pointed out, his franchise several years back made calls to each of the players' families, with the team on a lengthy trip during the holiday season, to make sure they were able to secure their holiday turkeys.
That same team, at that same time, was dismissing members of its secretarial staff.
And while several teams currently are in the midst of cutbacks, everything from trimming game-night meals for staffers to elimination of team publications, players still are spending their nights at the Four Seasons or Ritz-Carlton.
(As an aside: Those very same players frequently express a preference to stay at Marriotts, Hiltons and Hyatts, with those properties often closer to malls and more in line with players' sensibilities when it comes to room-service charges.)
Walk into the offices of most teams and there is a very real and ornate wall between the basketball and business sides. In some places, the differences can be stark, from cathedral to cubicle.
No, those two worlds will never become unified.
Yet to truly restore something closer to fiscal sanity, where lines of credit won't have to be justified as signs of economic strength, what first has to change are the rules of the workplace, rules that can save far more than any current cost-cutting on the business side.
First will come a spending binge unlike any the league has experienced, with the 2010free-agent free-for-all of LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Amare Stoudemire.
Then, on July 1, 2011, ownership can put something in place that just might save themselves from themselves.
Expect a push for several changes from the current collective-bargaining agreement.
Salary cap
The current formula should result in its own decrease in the payout to the players, without much wrangling, based on declining revenues.
At least that's the way teams are already approaching the process.
While the cap is $58.7 million this season, the expectation from at least one front office is for it to drop to $57.3 million for next season and $56.5 million for 2010-11.
At that rate, it is unlikely teams would push too hard to adjust how the players' share is calculated from the overall revenue stream.
Soft cap
What might change, though, is how soft the cap will remain.
Unlike the NFL, with its hard cap, where the annual ceiling is a definitive ceiling, the NBA long has allowed for exceptions that allow teams to retain their own free agents, as well as continually add lower- to mid-range free agents.
However, the bane of teams with over-aggressive general managers long has been the mid-level exception, the means to add one player each offseason at the average salary.
The problem is those players, indeed, prove to be just that, average, with their contracts lingering on the books long after the search resumes for something better.
A mid-level deal this season started at $5.6 million. The dilemma is that such deals can be offered for up to five seasons, mistakes that keep on giving.
Look for the mid-level exemption to either be eliminated or reduced to a maximum of two seasons, as is the case with what the league calls its lower-level exception, one worth less than half of the mid-level that can be utilized only in alternate years.
Maximum contract length
Currently, teams that retain their own tenured free agents can re-sign those players for up to six seasons. Most other contracts, including extensions, are limited to five seasons.
Unless the union is willing to move toward non-guaranteed contracts, as is the case in the signing-bonus-based NFL, figure on those maximum lengths to be trimmed severely.
Considering how well the current rule has worked in keeping players with their current teams, perhaps the move would be to a three-year maximum length when signing with an outside team or a five-year limit when re-signing with your current team.
Maximum salaries
This is an interesting one. Currently, a player with seven or fewer years of service can receive a starting salary of no more than 25 percent of his team's salary cap. Those tenured between seven and nine years, can receive 30 percent of their team's cap. With 10 or more seasons of experience, it rises to 35 percent.
While the goal of this rule was to spread the wealth, the NBA, with its preoccupation with 2010 free agency, has come to the realization that one player can make all the difference.
The key here is that if you can pacify the leading players, and, therefore, the leading agents, you just might find the rank and file falling in line.
This might be one area in a new deal where the percentages go up. A league with a happy Kobe, LeBron and Dwyane tends to be a happy league.
Maximum raises
Currently, players re-signing with their teams can receive annual raises up to 10.5 percent. Player signing with other teams can receive raises of up to 8 percent.
Considering we're essentially living in an inflation-less society, those figures come off as excessive, even by NBA standard. Of course, this being pro sports, common sense tends to only get in the way.
But if ever there was a time for reform, the league appears to be at that crossroads.
The economy is changing. So must the NBA.

NBA FREE AGENCY STARTS TUESDAY....... HERE ARE THE BEST OF THIS YEARS CROP.

In looking for a contract worth $100 million or more, Gilbert Arenas may have limited his options to one team, his Washington Wizards.
Theodore A. Wagner/Icon SMIMarty Burns's Mailbag

The NBA's free agent signing period begins Tuesday, meaning teams can begin talking to free agents, but don't expect a whirlwind of activity right away. For one, contracts cannot be signed until July 9. Also, this year's crop is considered mediocre at best -- and only three teams (the Sixers, Grizzlies and maybe the Clippers) are far enough below the salary cap to make a run at a top-tier free agent.
The rest of the league's teams will be limited to using their mid-level exception, which means they can offer a prospective free agent a deal starting at around $5.8 million.
The biggest intrigue heading into Tuesday might be which players decide to exercise "opt out" clauses in their contracts to become free agents. Elton Brand, Baron Davis, Ron Artest and Corey Maggette are among those who must decide Monday. Of that group, only Maggette is considered likely to test the waters.

Here's a quick primer on the 2008 free agent market:

Three teams that could make a splash
1. Sixers: Philadelphia will be around $11 million under the cap, and GM Ed Stefanski has said he won't be afraid to use it to pursue a big-time free agent. The Sixers have needs at power forward and shooting guard. Josh Smith, Antawn Jamison and Maggette are among the players who could be targets.
2. Grizzlies: Memphis has around $15 million to spend, but it will be more like $12 million if it signs Spanish center Marc Gasol as expected. The Grizzlies could use a veteran shooting guard to help while top rookie O.J. Mayo learns the NBA game. Or Memphis can hold on to the money and use it next year.
3. Clippers: It's not likely to happen, but L.A. could get some $15-20 million under the cap if Brand and Maggette both were to opt out and sign elsewhere. The Clippers say they intend to re-sign both. But if they were to walk, L.A. would be in position to nab a big-time player.
Three teams facing tough decisions
1. Hawks: With two key restricted free agents in Smith and Josh Childress, new Hawks GM Rick Sund has his work cut out for him. Smith, in particular, is likely to get a whopper offer. He's a major talent, for sure, but is he the kind of leader they need to take their franchise to the next level?

2. Bulls: Like the Hawks, the Bulls have two restricted free agents in Luol Deng and Ben Gordon. GM John Paxson already has Kirk Hinrich on the books at a high salary for a number of years, so he might have to make a choice. He also has a glut of guards, making a sign-and-trade involving Gordon a definite possibility.
3. Warriors: GM Chris Mullin has seven free agents, including restricted free agents Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins. He says he plans to keep them both. But with Don Nelson likely in his last year, does Golden State want to invest heavily in two players who might not thrive as readily in a different system?

Three best unrestricted free agents
1. Gilbert Arenas: The explosive point guard opted out of the final year of his contract and is seeking a max deal worth around $120 million over six years. But Philly and Memphis already are set at point guard, so it's hard to see where he could go to get his riches. Barring a sign-and-trade, he'll likely settle for a compromise with the Wizards along the lines of $100 million for six years.
2. Antawn Jamison: The 6-9 All-Star forward is a proven scorer inside and out, and a good clubhouse presence. He won't make the $16.3 million he did a year ago, but he will get a nice offer somewhere. The Sixers, in need of a veteran frontcourt scorer, are said to be interested. But Arenas has made it clear he wants Jamison back in the fold, and the Wizards will likely bring him back, too.
3. Corey Maggette: The 6-6 veteran swingman is expected to opt out of a deal that paid him $7 million next season, so he is going to want more than that. Coming off a season in which he averaged 22.1 points and 5.6 rebounds, Maggette will be in high demand. The Magic, for one, would love to have him. If the Clippers can't re-sign him, they will do a sign-and-trade to get something for him.
Best of the rest: Beno Udrih, DeSegana Diop, James Posey, Ricky Davis, Kurt Thomas, Mickael Pietrus, James Jones, Jason Williams, Eddie House, Carlos Arroyo, Tyronn Lue, Chris Duhon, Sam Cassell

Three best restricted free agents
1. Josh Smith: The athletic Smith had a big year (17.2 points, 8.2 boards, 1.5 steals, 2.8 blocks) for a Hawks team on the rise. At age 22, he might just be scratching the surface. He could fetch a deal starting at $12-13 million per year, forcing the Hawks to decide whether they want to match.
2. Emeka Okafor: The '05 Rookie of the Year turned down a reported $60 million extension last year in hopes of cashing in this summer. Good big men are hard to find, and he's coming off a season in which he averaged 13.8 points, 10.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks.
3. Andre Iguodala: The 6-8 small forward is coming off a strong season in which he helped lead Philly back to the playoffs. He passed on a reported $57 million extension last year. It is possible he'll get an offer in that range again, but the Sixers will probably match.
Best of the rest: Jose Calderon, Ellis, Deng, Gordon, Childress, J.R. Smith, Nenad Krstic, Biedrins, Sebastian Telfair

Three potential bargains
1. James Jones: The 6-8 forward quietly put together a strong season last year for the Blazers, finishing third in the NBA in three-point shooting (44.0 percent) while bringing other intangibles that helped that young team blossom. He opted out of the final year of his contract ($3.1 million), but he probably could be picked up for only slightly more.
2. Pietrus: Once considered a rising star in Golden State, he has been buried on the bench in Nelson's system. But the 6-6 swingman is a terrific athlete who can defend and shoot the three. With a change of scenery, Pietrus just might live up to his potential and turn out to be a steal at the right price.
3. Chris Quinn: The second-year guard from Notre Dame was one of the few bright spots for the Heat last season. Filling in for the injured Jason Williams, he averaged around 15 points and six assists down the stretch with a 3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Quinn is restricted, and the Heat will probably match any offer, but it might be worth a shot for a team seeking a hard-nosed guard who can shoot with range.