NBA Rumors: The Early Winners and Losers in the First Hours of Free Agency
No offseason in the history of NBA basketball has been as interesting as the current offseason. Of course, no free-agent class in recent memory has been as good as the present free-agent class.
Many of the players who have opted for free agency are perennial MVP candidates and All-Star players: LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, Paul Pierce, Dirk Nowitzki and Joe Johnson have all declared themselves as free agents.
Over the next week, many of the free agents will be meeting with potential suitors as they attempt to figure out which team they want to play for in the future. Some players will choose to play for the money while other players will choose to accept less money but enhance their opportunity to play for a championship.
The next seven days will be an exciting and tumultuous time period for owners, players and fans in the NBA.
While no free agent can sign a contract until July 8 there were some early winners and losers in the first hours of NBA free agency which began at 12:01 a.m. last night.
The early winners of the free agency period:
Charles Barkley
Barkley may find himself as the general manager of the Suns if the ownership group decides to follow his unsolicited advice concerning Amar’e Stoudemire When Barkley was asked whether he would sign Stoudemire, Barkley said that he would not hire Stoudemire.
Barkley specifically said, “I wouldn’t do it for three reasons. One, his knee; two, his eyes; and three, he wants a maximum deal. Now, he’s a terrific player. Don’t get me wrong. But at this stage of his career he’s never been the best player on his team. That’s not a max player.”
Hard to argue with Charles’ assessment of Stoudemire; in fairness, the Suns ownership group also didn’t ask for his opinion. If Charles is not offered the general manager position, at least he had the best quote of the night.
Kevin Durant
Durant and the Thunder can now begin negotiations on a long-term contract extension. When Durant was asked about whether he would be negotiating an extension, Durant played his cards close to the vest only saying, “Well see, we’ll talk about that tomorrow if it happens.”
Some local media officials in Oklahoma City are speculating that Durant will sign a five-year, $88 million contract which is a bargain when compared to the expected payday James, Bosh, and Wade are going to receive this free agent period. Oklahoma City should give Durant an extension if for no other reason to avoid the media from talking about the possibility of Durant leaving the Thunder.
Carmelo Anthony
The Nuggets have reportedly offered Carmelo Anthony a $65 million three year contract extension and Carmelo didn’t immediately sign the deal offered by Denver. Anthony is eligible to declare for free agency at the end of next season.
If Denver is unable to come to terms with Anthony on a contract extension, the Nuggets may have to consider trading Carmelo in order to avoid a situation that they lose Anthony to free agency and receive nothing in return. Anthony appears headed for a big payday.
Joe Johnson
The Atlanta Hawks reportedly offered Johnson a $120 million, six year contract at 12:01 this morning. Johnson will, therefore, make a king’s ransom over six years or slightly more than $90 million over five years and play along one or two All-Stars with a chance to win an NBA title over the same time period. Not a bad gig if you can pull it off.
The initial losers at the beginning of the free agency period:
Richard Jefferson
Jefferson opted out of his San Antonio contract that would have paid him $15 million dollars a year; I guess it must not always be about the money. Jefferson clearly values being a starter and playing time more than he does a healthy bank account.
The conventional wisdom within the league is that Jefferson might find more playing time next year on another team, but it is difficult to imagine anyone paying him anything close to what he left on the table in San Antonio.
Rob Kurz
Who is Rob Kurz? Kurz, the former 6’9 Notre Dame forward, was waived by the Chicago Bulls to give Chicago more cap space. Only hardcore Bulls fans know Kurz was acquired by the team on April 9 but never appeared in a game during the season. How much did the Bulls save by cutting Kurz? Kurz reportedly made $25,991 last year. There is no typo in the preceding sentence.
Tyson Chandler
The best move of the night, and maybe of his career, was Chandler’s decision not to opt out of his $12.6 million dollar contract with the Charlotte Bobcats. No one was going to offer Chandler anything close to what he is going to make next year with Charlotte. Chandler may end up being traded by Charlotte in an effort by the team to create more cap space, but if he has to pack his bags he will at least be travelling first class.
Erik Spoelstra
The present coach of the Miami Heat appears to be in a no-win position. If the Heat fails to sign a marquee free agent this off-season, Spoelstra faces the prospect of losing his best player Dwyane Wade and years of mediocrity. If Miami signs the big-ticket free agents LeBron James and Chris Bosh, Spoelstra faces the prospect of losing his job to his boss Pat Riley.
In seven days when free agents can sign contracts, the real winners and losers in free agency will truly be known. Hold on tight, this free agency period is about to get wild and a little bumpy.
