Top Ten Remaining Free Agents
By: Luke Byrnes Last Updated: 8/26/10 4:08 PM ET | 780 times read
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The opening of NBA training camp is fast approaching with August nearly in our rearview mirror, but several big name (although not necessarily big talent) free agents are still on the open market. Here is a look at the top ten remaining free agents from the class of 2010:
Delonte West, G: It is hard (for me, at least) to figure out why Delonte West still hasn't signed with a team. Yes, he has off the court troubles and his legal transgressions have led him to a ten-game suspension that will be served whenever he reaches an agreement with an NBA team, but West is a starting-caliber player in the NBA.
He has a solid handle, is a good outside shooter and can defend either guard spot at a high level. His issues off the court have certainly scared teams away, but there is no doubt that the former St. Joe's star will soon land with an NBA team.
Larry Hughes, SG: Larry Hughes is one of the more enigmatic players on a list of largely puzzling characters. A tremendous talent coming out of St. Louis University, Hughes immediately put his all-around game on display and, within a couple of years, looked like one of the league's bright young stars.
Following a career year with the Wizards in 2004-05 (22 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 4.7 apg, 2.9 spg, All-Defensive first team), Hughes signed a five-year, $70 million contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers and his numbers never approached those from his last year in the nation's capital.
Hughes can do a little bit of everything, including stir the pot in the locker room, but in the right situation he could help a team win basketball games. Both the Boston Celtics and the Bobcats have expressed interest lately (he played the last 14 games of the season with Charlotte last year), so he might not be available for long.
Earl Watson, PG: Along with West, Watson's availability at this point in the summer is a bit of a head-scratcher to me. The former UCLA star (he remains the Bruins all-time leader in steals and consecutive games started - I think they have had some pretty good players in Westwood, too) isn't a great NBA player but has proven over the course of his NBA career that he is a capable passer and rugged defender.
He has averaged at least five assists per game every season since 2005-06 and last season he set a career high by pulling down 240 rebounds (just over three per game).
Any team in need of point guard depth on the cheap (New Orleans, maybe) would be better with Watson around.
Earl Barron, C: It isn't easy to find competent big men in the NBA and, while he's certainly not the second coming of Wilt Chamberlain, Earl Barron has appeared to be, at least, competent in the NBA.
Last season, after being signed to a 10-day contract with the New York Knicks, Barron made the most of his opportunity, averaging 11.7 points and 11 rebounds in seven games (six starts) for the Knickerbockers.
Barron can face up and shoot the basketball and works well in pick-and-roll/pop situations. A team in need of third center or fifth big would do well by adding Barron, who won't command a ton of money.
Louis Amundson, PF: Amundson seemed to carve out a niche for himself in Phoenix over the last two seasons, providing the Suns with energy, effort and athleticism off the bench while proving that he belongs in the NBA.
The former UNLV standout is a solid finisher, rebounder and shot blocker who could add some size and hustle to any bench in the NBA. The Warriors, Hornets and Pacers are all said to be hot in pursuit of Amundson and he could reach a deal prior to the conclusion of this week.
Bobby Simmons, SF: Since winning the NBA's Most Improved Player award in 2005, Simmons has seen his numbers fall off considerably and the DePaul product was never able to live up to the five-year, $47 million contract he signed with the Milwaukee Bucks the following offseason.
Let's not make it seem as though Simmons brings nothing to the table, however. In eight NBA seasons (he sat out the '06-07 campaign while nursing an ankle injury), Simmons has posted career averages of 9.4 points, four rebounds and 1.6 assists in 25 minutes per game while shooting .401 from behind the three-point line. In 2008-09, his .447 shooting from distance was good enough to rank fifth in the NBA.
Simmons certainly isn't going to command anywhere near the same type of money that Milwaukee game him back in 2005, but he is veteran player that can stretch the floor and rebound his position.
Allen Iverson, G: What is there to say about Allen Iverson that hasn't already been said a million times? He's a surefire Hall of Famer and one of the best scorers and competitors to ever play the game of basketball.
If The Answer is willing to take on a reserve role as little more than scorer off the bench, he could be an extremely valuable addition to just about any team in the league.
Unfortunately, Iverson has not been able to help his team win games since he left Philadelphia, largely because the 11-time All-Star still thinks he's the same guy that won four scoring titles. His stops in Detroit, Memphis and Philadelphia all ended badly and his value in the NBA has plummeted so far that Earl Boykins got a deal (with a playoff team in Milwaukee) as the undersized scorer off the bench while Iverson sits at home.
Kyrylo Fesenko, C: A restricted free agent, the Utah Jazz have the right to match any offer Kyrylo Fesenko gets on the free agent market and because of that fact the young Ukrainian center hasn't been the hottest commodity.
At 7-1 and 300 lbs., Fesenko is a huge body that can clog up the lane and has shown the ability to rebound the basketball and protect the rim in his limited playing time. Due to an Achilles' injury to starting center Mehmet Okur in Utah's first playoff game, Fesenko started nine postseason games for the Jazz this spring, averaging a respectable 3.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists in just 18 minutes per game during the playoffs.
The center won't turn 24 until December 24 and most big men take a little bit longer than other players to adjust to the speed of the NBA game. With his size and feel for the game, Fesenko should develop into a solid NBA center.
He is expected to re-sign with the Jazz for a qualifying-offer of just over $1 million for the upcoming season and become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Flip Murray, G: After being drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round of the 2002 NBA Draft, Flip Murray went on to play for a total of eight teams, including every team in the Central Division (Bucks, Cavs, Pistons, Pacers and Bulls). The 31-year old combo guard has established himself as a reliable scorer off the bench, carrying a career scoring average of 9.9 points per game.
He isn't an efficient scorer and doesn't bring a whole lot else to the table, but a team in need or scoring punch off the bench could find what they are looking for in this journeyman and former Div. II Player of the Year from Shaw University.
Joe Smith, PF/C: There isn't a whole lot to dislike about Joe Smith. Yes, he's an aging (well, maybe an aged) big man at this point in his career, but he is a solid locker room guy with tons of experience and knowledge.
The former No. 1 overall draft pick (1995) won't give a team a ton of minutes throughout the season but could be a serviceable spot starter on the front line and be a valuable commodity come playoff time for the veteran's minimum.
Out of these players who do you all think would be the best signing for the Jazz? Fes sounds like a sure thing, but West could be a real steal off the bench and playing 2 guard with D-Will.
