NBA Free Agency: 5 Best Free Agents and Where They Will Go
If you are like me, and a giddy NBA fan, once you processed this morning's news that we were all getting an NBA season for Christmas, after you did your giddy-dance, you settled down and then thought, "Who's going where?!" Here are the answers.
First, let me qualify the word "available." There are some players like Marc Gasol who are technically "available," but as restricted free agents, there's little to no chance they're moving. There are also amnesty players who will not be listed here because they aren't officially free agents yet. Finally, I'm assuming players like Tim Duncan will exercise their options.
Andrei Kirilenko: AK47 is playing in Russia right now but expect that the Russian native will be "rushin" to get back home now that the news the lockout is over is out there. Kirilenko is still one of the more versatile and complete players in the NBA, even if the Jazz weren't as good last season as they have been in the past.
Potential teams for the Kirlenko include teams like the Nets and the Clippers, where they have some key players in place but are looking for good all-purpose role players and veteran leadership.
Jason Richardson: Richardson is a player who, for reasons I don't understand, seems to have taken a hit in public perception during the last year. He didn't do much in Orlando, but let's face it, there's a very limited offense in Orlando. Either shoot the three or pass it to Howard.
Before he went to Orlando, he was scoring 19.6 points per game in Phoenix. I think he's still capable of that 15 to 20-point per game range. He's certainly a player who should be on the radar of teams on the look out for a shooting guard.
Nene Hillario: The man with no last name who everyone ignores that he has no last name because let's face it, he's just not big enough to be a "one-name" star. If Kobe dropped the "Bryant," I'd be cool with that. If he called himself Meta World Peace, I'd call him that. Nene Hillario is still Nene Hillario to me.
Nene Hillario has the chance to drop the Hillario with a new contract depending on where he goes. One potential spot for him would we Atlanta. Adding a true center would allow the Hawks to move Al Horford to his more natural position of power forward.
Incidentally, Rob McClanaghan, who was the trainer for Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love, all who leaped forward with their career last year, was Horford's trainer during the offseason. Look for Horford to have his best year yet.
Caron Butler: Last year, he would have headlined this list, but a season-ending injury last year has diminished his status. However, Butler is still arguably the best, most talented free agent available. Over the course of his career, Butler has averaged 16.6 points, 4.1 boards and 2.3 assists.
Butler is a very nice second or third option that does what you need him to do. The glue factor for him is off the charts too, though things like that are hard to quantify. It's possible that a team like Chicago might try and sign him and use him as a shooting guard, or a team like the Bucks who aren't set at small forward might make a grab for him. He could also end up in New Jersey where he could take some of the scoring heat off Deron Williams.
David West: West will be the most coveted free agent, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's the best player. However, his ability to score in the post is a coveted NBA skill, and he's as good as any power forward available. He's another player who could end up in New Jersey.
In fact, with the amount of money the Nets are below the cap, there's a possibility two of these names could end up in Nets' uniforms.
Another team that could add one or two players here, including West, that's not getting much pub is the the Washington Wizards, who only have $23 million in salary if they give Rashard Lewis amnesty. Adding a couple of players like David West and Caron Butler to John Wall, Nick Young and Javale McGee could make the Wizards an instant playoff-caliber team.
