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Sports Look
September 24,
2008
NBA Top 20 Free
Agents - Week of September 17th
Ben Gordon
continues to be lost in limbo as training camp approaches. The Bulls will
likely sign him to a one year tender offer but he doesn’t want to sign with them
and would like to be traded to a team like the Heat. There have been
discussions but if that leads anywhere is up to the Heat/Bulls to decide.
As mentioned
last week in this article, the free agents that are getting signed right now are
the guys that are restricted free agents that would fit best with the team they
have been with.
Shaun
Livingston is the big question mark that’s left. No one knows if he will be
able to contribute this year or if he is still a year away and will have to play
in the NBDL or overseas to prove himself to the NBA again. Teams like the
T’Wolves and Blazers have taken a look at him but the question that continues to
arise is if he is worth a roster spot that could go to someone else that can
contribute now or wait 3-4 months for a guy that might not ever help your team.
1: Ben Gordon does not want to be a Bull but wants to get paid at the same
time. His best bet might be to take the one year tender offer from the Bulls
and become a free agent next season.
2: Shaun Livingston could be a steal for a team willing to take a risk on him
coming back healthy. It’s a big risk, high reward sort of situation because if
he blooms, he could really help a team.
3: PJ Brown is most likely going to retire but could be picked up mid way
through the season just as he did with the Celtics this past season. He is
still an asset to a team in limited minutes.
4: Alonzo Mourning is still saying he is going to play this season. He is out
for another 4-6 months but hopes to make it back around the All-Star break. If
healthy, Mourning can help any team he is on. He is still a great defensive
stopper and can score inside. Miami appears to be the place he wants to be and
would be a great lift for the Heat for the final stretch of the season.
5: Carl Landry is most likely to resign with Houston. The money and years is
the sticking point right now.
6: Robert
Horry will have a hard time finding a new contract and could be a mid year
signing. He didn’t play a lot with the Spurs this past season and the Spurs are
looking to fill his roster spot with a younger player.
7: Dikembe
Mutombo might be closer to 50 than 40 but he can still fill in adequately on
limited minutes for a team. It’s unsure if he will resign with the Rockets or
just retire.
8: DJ MBenga had the best of luck last season. He got cut by the Mavericks in
order for them to sign Juwan Howard and then was picked up by the Lakers and
made it to the Finals. MBenga is a good third Center on a team and can be a
second in certain situations.
9: Damon Stoudamire should be finding a home soon. He was waiting for the Suns
to make their decision on him and now he’s going to have to find another spot to
play. Damon has a better chance of finding playing time overseas but Stoudamire
doesn’t appear to be the type that wants to head overseas to play.
10: Bonzi Wells has really fallen off of the planet the last two seasons. He
was an instrumental piece of the Kings three seasons ago and then struggled with
his first year in Houston. This past season he split time with Houston and the
Hornets but didn’t do anything to stand out positively or negatively. Look for
him to get some form of deal in the US as he has the skills to be a good player,
it’s just if he is mentally prepared to show them.
11: Kirk Snyder
is another player that has hurt his career because of immaturity. Snyder has a
scorer’s mentality and can help a team needing some bench scoring. The problem
is if he can stay out of a coach’s doghouse long enough to show what he is
capable of.
12:
Ira Newble is still a good defensive player that can add some offense from time
to time. He’s a decent 2 or 3rd wing player off the bench.
13:
Melvin Ely has never
found a team where he has been able to become a dominant player. Ely has the
skill but needs to find a team where he could make an impact.
14:
David Harrison has hurt his career with his off the court issues. If he can
keep his nose clean, he could help a team, but he needs to find a team willing
to take a chance on him.
15: Fred Jones
is rumored to go overseas otherwise his best option is signing a one year
minimum contract in the NBA.
16: Kevin
Ollie will be lucky to find another contract. He’s at the end of his career but
could be a good player coach and backup on a team like the Jazz or Hornets where
he could provide veteran leadership, not expecting playing time and play if
there are injuries.
17:
Austin Croshere can
still fill the role of the big that can hit the three but provides little of
anything else.
18:
David Harrison has tons
of size but not much discipline. He has been part of the problem in Indiana and
he needs to prove that he still cares about basketball more than the perks of
being an NBA player.
19: Michael
Doleac is still a decent backup at C. If Joe Klein could play as many years as
he did, Doleac has no reason not to stay in the league for years.
20: Anthony
Carter should be resigned by Denver but if the Nuggets go another direction,
Carter could have to look overseas for a contract
Top 5 by position
PG
1. Shaun Livingston
2. Damon Stoudamire
3. Kevin Ollie
4. Anthony Carter
5. Darrel Armstrong
SG
1. Ben Gordon
2. Bonzi Wells
3. Kirk Snyder
4. Fred Jones
5.
Juan Dixon
SF
1.
Ira Newble
2. Ronald Dupree
3. Awvee
Storey
4. Chris Richard
5.
Casey Jacobsen
PF
1.
PJ Brown
2. Carl Landry
3.
Robert Horry
4. Juwan Howard
5.
Melvin Ely
C
1. Alonzo Mourning
2. Dikembe Mutombo
3. DJ MBenga
4. David Harrison
5. Michael Doleac
Recently signed
players:
Antawn Jamison
re-signed with the Wizards
Baron Davis
signed with the Clippers
Gilbert Arenas
re-signed with the Wizards
Jose Calderon
re-signed with the Raptors
DeSagana Diop
re-signed with the Mavericks
Beno Udrih
re-signed with the Kings
Chris Duhon
signed with the Knicks
Gerald Green
signed with the Mavericks
Elton Brand
signed with the 76ers
Corey Maggette
signed with the Warriors
Mickael Pietrus
signed with the Magic
James Jones
signed with the Heat
Ronnie Turiaf
signed with the Warriors
Roger Mason
signed with the Spurs
Brent Barry has
signed with the Rockets
Patrick
O’Bryant has signed with the Celtics
Jarvis Hays has
signed with the Nets
Antoine Wright,
Keith McLeod and James Singleton all signed with the Mavericks
Dee Brown
signed with the Wizards
Eduardo Najera
signed with the Nets
James Posey
singed with the Hornets
Tyrone Lue
singed with the Bucks
Daniel Gibson
re-signed with the Cavs
Kelena Azubuike
had had his offer sheet matched by the Warriors
Craig Smith has
re-signed with the Timberwolves
CJ Miles singed
an offer sheet with Oklahoma and the Jazz matched it.
Keyon Dooling
was signed and traded to the Nets
Rodney White
signed with Maccebi Elite and joins former NBA players Marcus Fizer and Esteban
Batista there.
Juan Carlos
Navarro signed with Barcelona
Carlos Delfino
signed with Khimki BC in Russia
Jorge Garbajosa
signed with Khimki BC in Russia
Malik Allen
signed with the Bucks
Boston Nachbar
signed with Dynamo Moscow in Russia
Matt Barnes
signed with the Suns
Tony Allen and Eddie House resigned
with the Celtics
Primoz
Brezec signed with Virtus Roma in Rome
Josh Childress
singed with Olympiakos in Greece
Kurt Thomas
resigned with the Spurs
Sebastan
Telfair resigned with the Timberwolves
Maurice Evans
singed with the Hawks
Loren Woods
signed with Zalgiris Kaunas of Euroleague
Royal Ivey
signed with the 76ers
Chris Anderson
signed with the Nuggets
Monta Ellis
resigned with the Warriors
Dahntay
Jones signed with Denver
Andris
Biendrins resigned with the Warriors
Sasha Vujacic
resigned with the Lakers
Ryan Hollins resigned with the Bobcats
Ricky Davis
signed with the CLippers
Emeka Okafor
resigned with the Bobcats
Nenad Krstic
signed with Triumph Moscow
Kwame Brown
singed with the Pistons
Kareem Rush singed with the 76ers
Ryan Gomes
resigned with the Timberwolves
Randolph Morris
has signed with the Hawks
Loul Deng
resigned with the Bulls
Louis Williams
resigned with the 76ers
Brian Skinner
signed with the Clippers
Adonal Foyle
resigned with the Magic
Carlos Arroyo
signed with Maccabi Tel Aviv
Walter Herrmann
resigned with the Pistons
Earl Boykins signed with Virtus Bologna
Bobby Jones signed with Miami
Shannon Brown signed with the Bobcats
Jason Williams
singed with the Clippers
Francisco Elson
signed with the Bucks
Yakhouba Diawara signed with Miami
Ryan Bowen
resigned with the Hornets
Josh Smith
resigned with the Hawks
Ronald Murray singed with the Hawks
Andre Iguodala
resigned with the 76ers
Dan Dickau
signed with Avellino of Euroleague
Josh Powell singed with the Lakers
Jannero Pargo
signed with the Russian club Dynamo Moscow
Michael Finley
resigned with the Spurs
Paul Davis signed with the Clippers
Theo Ratliff signed with the 76ers
Gordan Giricek signed with Turkish club Fenerbache
Luke Jackson
signed with the Blazers
Dorell Wright resigned with the Heat
Earl Barron signed in Italy
Qyntel Woods signed in Italy
Devean George
resigned with the Mavericks
Demetris Nichols resigned with the Bulls
Devin Brown signed with the Hornets
Eddie Jones
exercised his contract with the Mavericks
Donyell
Marshall signed with the 76ers
Jamaal Magloire
signed with the Heat
Lorenzen Wright
signed with the Cavs
Robert Swift
resigned with Oklahoma
Chris Quinn
resigned with the Heat
Mike Wilks
signed with the Magic
Sam Cassell
resigned with the Celtics
Delonte West resigned with the Cavs
Smush Parker has signed in a Spanish League
Andre Owens signed overseas
Scott Church has been an NBA freelance writer for more than six years. He
resides in Utah and you can contact him at
Scottshoops@yahoo.com.
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