2010 NBA Free Agency: The Top 10 Teams Still in the Mix for Chris Bosh

When you're talking about free agency, the discussion goes LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh.

And then, everyone else.

Wade appears comfortable at home, LeBron will await a decision until after the summit of suitors at his Akron, Ohio house later this week, and Bosh is linked to over a half-dozen teams daily.

We'll focus on the latter for the moment.

So what's the latest free agent news for Chris Bosh?

Who has the inside track and who are the long shots?

These are the top 10 teams still in the mix to land Bosh this summer.

10. Toronto Raptors

Bryan Colangelo finally admitted he doesn't think the Raptors will be able to retain Bosh this summer, and even went as far as to concede that first-round pick Ed Davis was brought in as his eventual replacement.

While the Raptors have probably known this fate was inevitable for months, this is the first time Colangelo has gone public with their well-known worries.

Even though Bosh seems like a lock to leave, he's still considering the Raptors, or at least is doing the politically-correct thing and saying he is.

Will he leave?

Probably.

Is it completely out of the realm of possibility that he stays?

No. So there you are Raptors fans, there's still hope.

9. Sacramento Kings

With a core of young players headed by 2009 Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans, the Sacramento Kings may not be the most appealing landing spot for Chris Bosh, but there's enough there to warrant general interest.

Evans, Jason Thompson, Omri Casspi, Spencer Hawes, and Donte Green are all under the age of 24 and have displayed solid potential for the future.

Add in guys like trade-deadline acquisition Carl Landry, veterans Samuel Dalembert and Beno Udrih, and the Kings roster appears to have quite a few bricks to build around.

Sacramento has a ton of money to spend this summer and it'll get its hands on someone, but it's doubtful that someone is Bosh.

The truth is, there are really only about three or four teams that have any legitimate chance of signing the Raptors star.

Everyone else is just hoping.

8. Los Angeles Clippers

The L.A. Clippers have historically not been a favorite landing spot of free agents, but that may change in 2010.

Despite their record, there is a lot of talent on this team.

Blake Griffin should be healthy after missing his rookie year with a knee injury. Add in Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, Baron Davis, and Al-Farouq Aminu and you have yourself a very solid core.

The Clippers can not only make a run at a player like Bosh, but they have the pieces for a sign-and-trade, if that's how it needs to go down, and will still have money left over for another significant addition.

If they could land a pair of stars, the "other" L.A. team would be a contender.

7. New York Knicks

Donnie Walsh has been preparing for this year's free agency since the moment he took over as the Knicks' general manager two years ago, but for some reason the glitz and glamour of New York City and it's major media market don't appear to have as much sway with free agents as he would have hoped.

Knicks fans won't want to hear this, but they're a backup plan for the other free agents besides the big three of Bosh, LeBron, and Wade.

They'll wave their money at everyone else and max out the likes of Amar'e Stoudemire and Joe Johnson.

Earlier this month, Bosh laughed at the idea of playing for the Knicks in a phone conversation with a fan. According to him, he laughs off all talk like that.

The New York media took it more personal, and maybe they're on to something.

6. Dallas Mavericks

Like Houston, which is also in the running for Bosh, the Texas teams can't be forgotten in the hunt.

They, of course, offer the home-state factor.

Mark Cuban has been adamant about getting his team involved in free agency this summer, and there are reports the team is very interested in several names on the market.

Obviously, they'd love to get LeBron and have a scheduled meeting with Wade, but Bosh is the real target, the real chance.

Cuban needs to take care of his own first by re-signing Dirk Nowitzki, but he's aggressive enough to make it work with another max as well.

5. Houston Rockets

Houston is the forgotten man in the free agent mix this summer. Mainly, it's because it doesn't have any cap space to utilize on free agents, but what it does have is a ton of trade chips to toss around in the world of sign-and-trades.

Talk out of Bosh's camp gives the notion that he is preferably seeking a sign-and-trade deal in order to maximize his free agent money with a sixth year and an extra $30 million he can only get from Toronto.

Houston believes they're in the running, but their strategy is even more daring than you'd think.

They have hopes of pulling of a sign-and-trade for Joe Johnson and using him as the enticement to land Bosh in a similar deal.

It sounds crazy, but in a year like this, nothing is impossible.

4. Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers might have just won their second consecutive NBA Championship, but they've proven they aren't afraid to mess with success.

They swapped out Trevor Ariza for Ron Artest after ring one and there's a very real possibility they could swap out Andrew Bynum for Chris Bosh after ring two.

Don't forget the trade-deadline rumors about this deal going down during the season, but at the time it was obvious the Raptors weren't wiling to admit they would lose Bosh.

With Bosh wanting a six-year deal, if the Lakers decide to pull the trigger on a sign-and-trade, a better situation for all parties doesn't really present itself elsewhere.

3. New Jersey Nets

Brook Lopez has emerged as arguably the top young center in the NBA in just his second year in the league and he presents a great complementary piece to Bosh on the block.

Bosh has specifically said the whole point of becoming a free agent is picking the perfect situation for him. One where he won't be forced to play minutes at the five, and where can remain at his natural position.

Well, of all the choices on this list, New Jersey is one that will assuredly play him exclusively as a power forward.

With new Russian billionaire owner Mikhail Prokhorov aggressively at the helm, Jay-Z to help make executive decisions, and Avery Johnson on the sidelines, the Nets look like a pretty good spot.

2. Chicago Bulls

Chicago's draft-day trade of Kirk Hinrich to Washington (if you want to call a donation a trade) now has them in prime position to be one of the top players in free agency.

By clearing Hinrich and their first-round pick from next season's salary cap, they now have the cap space to bring in two maximum free agents this summer.

Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, and Luol Deng paired with LeBron James and Chris Bosh is practically a dream roster.

If you've read the New York Times recently, then you know a high-level unnamed executive is calling this a done deal already.

Of course, the following day, Miami was the story of the hour so you have to take all of this at face value.

1. Miami Heat

If you've been following recent free agency news then you know the possibility of Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and LeBron James teaming up in Miami next season isn't just fantasy, it's actually being discussed.

Numerous reports have denied these claims, but where there's smoke, there's usually fire.

But, to stay away from tabloid headlines, we'll stick to what Bosh himself has said of Miami in recent days.

"Miami is in top contention. With the money they have, the cap space they have, the rights on Dwyane, him possibly staying, and just having a good organization—they are known as a first-class organization."