2009 NBA Free Agents: Where will they land?
Update 6/30: Be sure to check out our 2009 NBA Free Agency Preview.
Sports2Debate put together an interesting piece outlining where they think players from the free agent class of 2009 will land.
Here are a few of the bigger names:
Jason Kidd – UR
Sacrifices pay to play with Lakers in 2009/2010. Signs a Mid-Level Exception.Ben Gordon – UR
Utah Jazz sign Gordon. Utah is in need of a shooting guard more than any team. He will take pressure off Brewer and allow him to come of the bench.Allen Iverson – UR
Signs with Dallas at the Veteran Minimum. They are the only team willing to take a risk, giving A.I. major playing time. The contract will not last more than 2-3 years.Andre Miller – UR
Signs with the Portland Trailblazers and will make a major impact in the 2010 playoffs.Shawn Marion – UR
Chicago is likely to move some players to open up some cap room for this offseason and Marion would be a great fit.Carlos Boozer – UR (player option)
Does not utilize player option. He will, however, be in the pool heading into the 2010/2011 season.
A few random thoughts about the list:
- I hadn’t thought about a potential Andre Miller-to-Portland signing. The Blazers will have about $9-$10 million in cap space, so it is a possibility, though they may elect to save the dough and gear up for a bigger splash in the summer of 2010. I think Portland is taking a more long-term approach to building a winner.
- Players like Zaza Pachulia or Wally Szczerbiak are unlikely to get the full mid-level exception (starting at ~$5.8 million per season) this offseason. My best guess for Pachulia is a contract that averages somewhere in the $3-$4 million per season range. I’d estimate that Wally would earn less than that.
- As a longtime Bucks fan, I sure hope the team doesn’t make an offer to Raymond Felton. They already have their point guard of the future in Ramon Sessions, and he’ll likely come at a cheaper price than Felton.
- Utah might sign Ben Gordon, but how does Jerry Sloan feel about his shot selection and lack of defense? I think the Jazz will stick with Brewer, who continues to progress.
- I don’t see the Pistons re-signing Rasheed Wallace though I suppose it could happen. They have a ton of cap space, but if they sign him to anything other than a one-year deal, it will jeopardize their flexibility next summer. Remember, Rip Hamilton becomes a free agent in 2010 as well.
- Ron Artest to Toronto? Maybe — the Raptors will have some cap space ($11 million), but is he a good fit? They want to push the ball and he seems to thrive in a half court setting. I think he’ll end up signing with a contender for the mid-level. In fact, he might re-sign with Houston.
- I don’t see the Bulls clearing cap space to sign Shawn Marion when they have a Shawn-Marion-in-the-making in the form of Tyrus Thomas. Why blow up a promising young team to sign the 31-year-old Matrix?
Where are the Thunder or Grizzlies in all this??? Aren’t you forgetting two of the largest cap bosses going into ‘09 summer? Add Thunder into the running for Gordon, and you’ve got to mention Hedo in this conversation. I think the Grizzlies might make a play for him if they land Rubio.
I’m not forgetting them — I just don’t think either team is going to make a big signing this summer. Both teams are quite young and will probably try to continue to build slowly through the draft.
For a more detailed look at all the teams with space this summer, check this post out.
What I want to know is who are the Cavs going to try to sign to combat Orlando next year?!?!
They need a quality big to D up Dwight Howard and another flexible forward to match up with Turkgolu/Lewis.
I question if they do not address this next season that Lebron will probably jet for NY with Chris Bosh in a 2 player mega-signing!!!
Guy — I just wrote a long piece on that exact topic.
Artest makes a lot of sense for the Cavs if they can get him as a mid-level exception.
Heck, if Wallace retires and Varajeo leaves, the Cavs may very well be under the cap heading into the free agent signing period. That would be $40M off the books.
They need a big man…..but there really isn’t one on the market that they can afford. They’d have to make a trade, which is still possible. If the Clippers take Blake Griffin #1 overall I could see them moving Camby this summer. Yes he’s cheap but the Cavs could move Gibson and Pavlovic for him. Camby is the type of defender that could at least challenge D-Howard. He’s smaller than Kendrick Perkins but still a solid defender at the basket.
Artest would give the Cavs height at the 2 and allow West to come off the bench.
Would give the Cavs some great matchups against the Magic next year then. Camby would guard Howard better than either Varajeo or Z did. James could stick on Lewis and not have to worry about anyone else. Artest could take Hedo. Nelson being healthy could cause some issues but the Cavs were 3 points from winning that series (lost by 1 and lost in overtime). Artest and Camby could put them over the top in a best of 7.
Camby would then be a good match for Bynum in the Finals. Z and Gasol are both tall shooters that wont’ play great D. Artest showed what he can do against Kobe. Lebron can guard Odom if he’s still there and is strong enough to contain him.
Cavs have an interesting summer ahead of them…..
I still think the Shaq talk will resume….especially if Wallace is serious about retiring. Could wait to retire and take a buyout with the Suns and save them a ton of money in 2009/2010 and keep them under the luxury tax threshold (they won’t be under unless they move one of Shaq, Amare, or Nash).
Wallace, Pav, and a draft pick could possibly get you Shaq. Pav’s deal is worth $4.9M but only $1.5M is guaranteed.
Bring the Big Cactus to Cleveland Baby with the trade of Wallace and Sasha or even a first round pick because the Cavs won’t pick up anybody good at 30 and that would sell the deal because the Suns are rebuilding. This would then attract Ron Artest because we could pay him some of that 13 million we used to pay Wally, which would therefore lead to a 09 Championship because you would look at a huge starting 5 with Mo 6′1″ at point, Artest 6′7″ at SG, Lebron 6′9″ at SF, then at PF or C would be Shaq 7′1″ or Z 7′3″ with Joe Smith, JJ Hickson, and Varajeo rotating in with our massive big men. Then having West and Gibson coming of our bench we would be unstoppable and Lebron would get his first and Shaq would get his 5th against Kobe to one up him again.
I’m not sure the Suns would go for it at this point since Shaq’s in the final year of his contract. They’d really have to save a lot of money on Wallace’s buyout to make the move, since they’d be hurting their playoff chances by trading Shaq away.
I have not posted to this site before, but a few of the pieces interested me, so here goes…
I write for Bleacher Report, so you can look for my stuff there.
That Sports2Debate article had me howling.
Do they really think Ben Gordon wants to go to Salt Lake City or that Jazz management wants to spend that kind of money to get him when they seven (YES SEVEN!) of their own free agents?
The Artest to Toronto idea also had me rolling with laughter.
This may sound absurd and fool-hearted, but the only teams I could see offering Artest close to what he would want (other than the Rockets) are Detroit and Charlotte.
Just picturing him in a Pistons jersey seems like a dumber idea than Krispy Kreme’s donut-in-a-shake, but if Dumars can forget the “malice at the palace,” Artest would bring a lot of the intangibles, defense and toughness he wants to infuse in his sagging roster.
Artest is not going to play for the mid-level. He’ll want something in the neighborhood of $30 million for 3 years and not many teams want to dangle that kind of dough for a headcase.
I still don’t see Artest ending up anywhere but Houston. The Rockets want him and he appears to want to stay here.
To me, Ben Gordon is the key to this summer because he will command the most expensive deal. As we saw last July, one player can create a free agent market (see Baron Davis).
If Forman and Paxson are serious about resigning Gordon, then forget about Chicago making a run at Dwyane Wade in 2010. If they opt to let him walk, all bets are off, and Pat Riley should start worrying.
Rasheed Wallace has told friends he will retire if no one offers him more than $7 million a year. Since only a lobotomized general manager would give him more than that (look at his awful numbers in the 2009 playoffs), he’ll probably “retire” and then sign on with Boston or another contender next spring as a designated shooter and post defender.
The three guys who will garner the most interest are still playing in the NBA Finals.
The Lakers have to resign both Lamar Odom and Trevor Ariza this summer. The Spurs and a few other teams would be stupid to not at least force the Lakers to match an offer for Ariza.
He has been LA’s unsung hero with his dead-eye shooting and his thievery in the passing lanes.
Orlando has to resign Hedo Turkoglu, who will draw interest for obvious reasons, and Marcin Gortat, who arguably played better interior defense in game one than Dwight Howard.
Gortat is an interesting case because few teams, including Orlando, will offer him what he will think he is worth.
So, will he take less money for a bigger role, find a way to stay in Orlando or jump ship and return to Europe?
Also, I expect a lot of sign-and-trade and buyout deals. Another writer B/R, Andrew Ungvari, proposed 11 days ago that the Celtics could ink such a deal for Ray Allen.
Teams in search of cap space/financial relief and expiring contracts would dump expensive talent for Allen’s deal. He could then resign with another team, likely the Celtics, after 30 days.
Just a thought.
Thanks for your take, Robert.
I don’t think Ben Gordon is really a possibility in Utah.
I think Boozer will end up signing for more than Gordon.
I wouldn’t rule out the possibility that Artest signs a mid-level deal, but I think the Rockets will offer him more than that, so he’ll stay in Texas.
i think Boozer will sign with the Pistons..
anyways non of you know where these guys r going.. we will just wait and see this year in July after the NBA draft..
Non of you guys know where any of the NBA players are going. You just think or assume they r going to go to the team you want them to go to. Most likely there not going to end up on that team you want them to go to because you dont make there choices.. they dont come on here and listen to u guys and say yeah im going to go to that team. No, like 10% of what u guys think will happen. the 90% will not. We don’t know so we will have to wait after the NBA draft in a few says. So dont try to assume things cuz its not going to happen. like LeBron and Dwayne wade in Knicks for 2010? LOL.. ya right they dont have enough money to pick them both up.. r u serious.. LeBron by him self is like 39 mil. Dwayne wade would be another 30 mil. so dont think that will happen next year.. until now what ur guys are doing is wasting your time on here. Wait and see.
THE ANSWER or ALLEN IVERSON to Orlando? Wat do you think?
I hope
I wouldn’t roll the dice on Iverson. The Magic have a good thing going and should benefit if they can keep the core together and bring back a healthy Jameer Nelson. I wouldn’t mess with that chemistry.
HEY JOHN WHAT DO YOU THINK THE WIZARDS WILL WIND UP DOING THEY HAVE NO BIG MAN PRESSENCE WHAT WILL THEY DO?
I don’t think they’re going to do much. They’ve got Haywood, McGee and Blatche, so they’re probably going to run with that.
THAT’S NOT ENOUGH WON’T SUPRISE ME IF THEY GET RID OF STEVANSON AND NICK YOUNG FOR A BIG MAN. THEY NEED TOGO AFTER CARLOS BOOZER
Since Washington is over the cap, the only way to get Boozer is via a sign-and-trade, and I doubt the Jazz would go for it, unless the Wizards are willing to give up Caron Butler.
Those three centers are probably a good fit for Washington…there are so many shooters/scorers on the floor and there’s only one ball.
I don’t like Washington’s chances in the playoffs, but if everyone stays healthy, they’ll be a lot better next year.
Jason Kidd will most likely re-sign in Dallas unless he goes for less money to play for a championship bound team (Lakers or Cavs). If Rasheed Wallace is smart and hungry for another ring, he’ll look to sign with the Cavs or even better, with the Spurs. Andre Miller would be an extremely good fit in Portland which looks to upgrade at PG. Iverson should be looking to sign with a team in position to win a title, but I doubt he’ll land in LA, Cleveland, Orlando, Boston or Denver. So, good luck with that! Now that Orlando has Vince Carter, I doubt they’ll have the money to re-sign Turkoglu. Maybe he’ll be generous and accept a one year deal for less money just to see how things work out (unlikely). With the departure Shaq, and the Suns’ apparent desire rebuild and start over, is the possibility of Grant Hill heading back to Orlando just a stretch of my imagination? Might be a good fit if Turkoglu is not re-signed. Charlie V could end up with the Cavs or Detroit and if the Bulls don’t open up their wallets, Ben Gordon may join the Pistons as well.
Sorry…forgot to leave my name on the last post. Here are my thoughts again:
Jason Kidd will most likely re-sign in Dallas unless he goes for less money to play for a championship bound team (Lakers or Cavs). If Rasheed Wallace is smart and hungry for another ring, he’ll look to sign with the Cavs or even better, with the Spurs. Andre Miller would be an extremely good fit in Portland which looks to upgrade at PG. Iverson should be looking to sign with a team in position to win a title, but I doubt he’ll land in LA, Cleveland, Orlando, Boston or Denver. So, good luck with that! Now that Orlando has Vince Carter, I doubt they’ll have the money to re-sign Turkoglu. Maybe he’ll be generous and accept a one year deal for less money just to see how things work out (unlikely). With the departure Shaq, and the Suns’ apparent desire rebuild and start over, is the possibility of Grant Hill heading back to Orlando just a stretch of my imagination? Might be a good fit if Turkoglu is not re-signed. Charlie V could end up with the Cavs or Detroit and if the Bulls don’t open up their wallets, Ben Gordon may join the Pistons as well.
how about marvin williams, does he have any chance of going to philly
when do we find out where everyone went?
Well right now it looks like miller will go to the Blazers.Nice job John. What do you think happens to Odom now?