NBA Free Agents 2012: Latest on Jason Kidd and This Summer's Top Options
Every day that goes by, the guys still playing in the postseason increase their free-agent stock (at least, in the case of the Celtics), while the guys who didn't have the luxury of a long postseason run get to sit back and evaluate their options.
Just because they're not playing, though, doesn't mean Jason Kidd, Steve Nash and the others have become any less desirable.
Here's a roundup of the latest news on the top free agents on this summer's market. Only a few more weeks till July 1.
Jason Kidd
Forget about the fact that the Bulls have Derrick Rose. He's likely going to need a lot of time to get back to form next season as he recovers from his ACL injury. In the meantime, the Bulls are going to need someone to close the gap. In that sense, Jason Kidd could fit their needs perfectly, for the right price.
According to CSNChicago.com, Rose probably won't be able to return to the court until after the All-Star break, so the Bulls are planning to use their status as contenders to lure in a veteran like Kidd, or possibly Steve Nash. The Bulls can't offer those guys a consistent starting spot, but they can offer something both of them desperately want: the chance to legitimately contend for a title one more time.
A move like this makes the most sense for Kidd, who is likely gunning for his last contract and, at 39, would probably be most valuable as a backup.
Steve Nash
Whether or not the Bulls are the right fit for him isn't quite so crystal clear. Nash has insisted that he's only interested in signing with a contender next season, so point for the Bulls there. But even though Nash is getting up there in age, he's not likely to want to take a backseat to Rose as the postseason approaches.
ESPN.com's Marc Stein revealed this week that the Bulls' primary competition for Nash will be the Raptors, the Trail Blazers and the Brooklyn Nets.
None of them, at the moment, meet Nash's contender requirement, but by this time next season, the Nets are the team that is the most likely to still be playing. According to Stein, though, they're only interested in Nash if they fail to lock down Deron Williams—and without Deron Williams, is this team still a likely contender?
It's looking more and more likely that Nash is either going to have to sign with a contender in a backup role or commit himself to rebuilding a lottery team himself.
Maybe the Bulls are a decent option, after all...
According to Stein, Garnett is quickly becoming one of the most attractive options on this summer's free-agent market. Given his performance this postseason, it's easy to see why: He may be old, but he is far from done.
Garnett obviously isn't talking about the next year or three—he's far too focused on a championship to do that—so it's hard to know where he stands. A month ago, it may not have seemed likely for the Celtics to re-sign him, but now, given how well he and Rajon Rondo are playing together, how can they not?
It's clear that the Celtics are soon going to be crossing the border into rebuilding mode, but if there's one veteran free agent who's worthy of being included in those plans, it's Garnett. It's just a matter of how many years Boston would be willing to give him—Garnett will probably want 2-3—and whether or not he's is willing to take a per-year pay cut to stay in Green.
If it doesn't work out between the Celtics and Garnett, the Nets could be another team with the money and the need to sign a veteran 4/5.
Brandon Roy
He may be retired, but he's still young at heart—and in life in general. He's just 27, but Brandon Roy announced his retirement from basketball prior to the start of the strike-shortened 2011-12 season, citing ongoing knee trouble. But it's never too late for a comeback, especially when you're one of the most competitive (former) players in the league and the Lakers are interested in you.
Roy spent all five years of his pro career with the Trail Blazers. As a result, he never got a good taste of what it feels like to be a true competitor. A tweet from Peter Vescey last week revealed that the Lakers were considering bringing on the shooting guard next season, but he also threw around the possibility of the Warriors.
The Lakers could be a perfect situation for Roy, who obviously wouldn't have to start and could reduce the stress on his knees while still getting a chance to play for a contender. He's a low-risk, high-payoff former first-rounder who makes sense for the Lakers too.
