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| Wednesday, July 3 If money didn't matter, you'd see these signings By Chad Ford ESPN.com |
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It's the biggest lie of the summer. You know the one. Your local NBA free agent tells the media that he doesn't care about the money and that he just wants to find a good fit with a team that is all about winning. That paycut he so wistfully claims to be pondering never seems to materialize, does it? Those sacrifices he's willing to take? If you're lucky, he decides that proximity to a golf course is just slightly less important than winning an NBA championship. Championships, chemistry, loyalty, blah, blah, blah. Show him the money and he'll sign. Of all of the vices facing NBA players in the offseason, nothing is quite as destructive as greed. Sure, there is the ever popular Shawn Kemp offseason regiment consisting of "Baywatch" re-runs, Kool-aid IVs, Twinkies for breakfast and the occasional Scoobie snack. That's bad, but players tend to play their way back into shape. Greed? That's tougher to recover from. NBA rosters are littered with good players who got greedy in the summer. Last year, David Robinson's greed cost the Spurs Derek Anderson. Anderson's greed landed him a job as parole officer for the Jail Blazers. Was the $7 million a year the Knicks paid Glen Rice two summers ago worth all the splinters on his butt? Ask Shandon Anderson and Howard Eisley if Utah is such a bad place now? Here's a look at this summer's top 10 free agents, with a twist. They'll probably sign where the most money is, but if they signed here, their careers would reach new heights.
1. Michael Olowokandi, center, Clippers. The Kandi-man thinks having the potential to be the second-best center in the NBA is worth the max. Clips owner Donald Sterling doesn't think the best center in the NBA is worth the mid-level exception. You can see the dilemma. It's still early, but it looks like the Clips are on the verge of yet another messy free-agent divorce. Elton Brand, Lamar Odom, Darius Miles and Quentin Richardson are queued up right behind him. It's a shame. Olowokandi and the rest of the young Clippers are seeds to a fantastic team. But greed, both Sterling's and the players', is likely to tear apart something special.
2. Mike Bibby, guard, Kings. Bibby made at least an extra $30 million in the playoffs this year. He deserved it. There isn't another team out there who will appreciate him more. With his clutch shooting and timely leadership, the Kings know they have the real deal at point guard. Now Bibby is asking for the max to stick around. Normally, giving it to Bibby would be a no-brainer, but adding another max contract to the books would put the Maloofs firmly in luxury-tax land and will severely limit their ability to add any fresh meat to the roster. It may even force the Kings to dump a player such as Doug Christie just to remain financially viable. Sure, Bibby is worth the money. But is the money worth busting up the Kings, Mike?
3. Rashard Lewis, forward, Sonics. The hope of the entire city of Seattle used to rest on this guy re-signing. But after another so-so year, the Sonics aren't so sure that Lewis is their franchise player. He hasn't exactly seized the leadership role. The Sonics want him back, but at what price? Lewis wants the max and the Sonics are rightly balking. He's good, but he isn't that good. Lewis has been pushing to land with his hometown Rockets. But with Glen Rice, Bostjan Nachbar and Eddie Griffin all in the fold, he'd be lost in the Yao Ming media monsoon. So why doesn't Lewis consider hooking up with the Bulls? They're the only team with any significant cap room and they really need an athletic, sharp-shooting small forward. He'd have to settle for $3 million less a season, but he'd be on an up-and-coming team filled with young players in similar situations. The Sonics, if they sign Lewis to the max, will be in disarray after Gary Payton bolts next season. The Bulls would even be willing to work out a sign-and-trade for Jamal Crawford and Marcus Fizer. If the Bulls could pull off that deal, they'd make a strong run at the playoffs next season and Lewis would be a big part of it.
4. Raef LaFrentz, center, Mavericks. He never got a chance to pull Shaq away from the basket so the rest of the Mavericks could make a run at the Lakers. Don't expect them to trash the plan so quickly. Mark Cuban can afford to keep LaFrentz and has given every indication that he will. Will he get the max? If he doesn't, Cuban will surely make it up to him with a long playoff run.
5. Keon Clark, forward/center, Raptors. The Raptors are deep, but Clark is never going to get a prominent role as long as Vince Carter and Antonio Davis are around. Clark's potential is tantalizing on the right team with the right coach. The Raptors are likely to match any offer Clark gets. Wouldn't he be better off taking the Raptors' tender, playing his heart out this year and then landing a bigger deal with a better team like the Spurs? With David Robinson headed to the naval graveyard after 2002-03, Clark could step right in with his shot blocking and rebounding and give Tim Duncan all the reason he needs to stick around the Alamo.
6. Bonzi Wells, guard, Trail Blazers. The Blazers have a log jam at small forward that Wells will never be able to break up. Derek Anderson, Ruben Patterson, Qyntel Woods and Scottie Pippen all steal some of the thunder. Meanwhile, the T-Wolves are one more scorer away from finally breaking through in the Western Conference. Wells' athleticism and strength posting up would be a perfect fit in Flip Saunders' offense. Again, Wells is a restricted free agent, which complicates things. And the T-Wolves have only a mid-level exception, which means he isn't getting big bucks. But down the road, a move to Minnesota, glaciers and all, would be the best career move he could make.
7. Devean George, forward, Lakers. Jerry West drafted him and he's invested in making George a star. George had an inconsistent year, but his performance in Game 4 of the Finals showed his potential. The Lakers made a major mistake not tendering him an offer last summer and are now trying to lure him back. But George would be better off spreading his wings a little and getting out from under the shadow of Shaq and Kobe. With his tough defense and 3-point shooting, he could be a key player in West's revamped Grizzlies.
8. Larry Hughes, guard, Warriors. Oh, how the mighty fall. Hughes' shot selection and selfishness with the ball caused the Warriors to sour on him. It was his ability to play the point that still tantalizes teams. His failure in Golden State is just as much the Warriors' fault as it is his. If he would bite the bullet, take a small contract in L.A., swallow his pride about his stats and do whatever Phil Jackson asked him to, he'd be one of the most coveted players in the NBA in three years. The kid has the skills. He just doesn't have the karma. The Zen Master would give it to him.
9. Rodney Rogers, forward, Celtics. General manager Chris Wallace loves him but isn't sure he can afford him. The Celtics would love to sign Rogers for a deal in the $1 million to $2 million range. If they spend more than that, they'll have to pay the luxury tax, something they'd prefer not to do. Rogers is sick of playing for cheap. He went through the same drill in Phoenix three years ago. But if he chases the money, he's missing a golden opportunity to get a shot at the title. The 76ers? Larry Brown hates his small forward, no matter who it is. The T-Wolves? Good luck prying the ball from Wally Szczerbiak's hands. The Heat? It's the Caron Butler show now. They say you can't put a price on a championship. Rogers needs to put that theory to the test.
10.Chauncey Billups, guard, Timberwolves. It doesn't get any better than tossing the ball to MJ. Period. Chad Ford is the NBA columnist for ESPN Insider. |
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