Months ago, I previewed the 2006 free agent market. Since then, all of the prospective free agents, except Drew Gooden, have reportedly made their decisions. Where are they now?Al Harrington: The best free agent on the market decides to be very conservative in his investing. Despite offers from practically every team, Al Harrington is currently in the process of rejoining his former ball club, the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers are seeking a sign and trade with Harrington, but they need to determine what players to release. Sources state that the Pacers have sixteen players on their roster which is one above the limit; they want to acquire Harrington without trading any players in return in order to give them more time. Good luck with that. Other teams have dropped out on the Harrington hunt, so only time will tell when the Pacers actually acquire him.
Peja Stojakovic: Apparently, he was not very happy in Indiana. Though it would have been a ridiculous big three of Harrington, Stojakovic, and Jermaine O’Neal, the shooter has signed a $64 million, 5-year deal with the Hornets. Peja complements the team perfectly as the outside threat. He will stretch defenses which will take more pressure off David West down low and open the lanes for driving Chris Paul. I like this Big Three, making the Hornets one of my favorite teams entering next season. (Will, stop jumping on the bandwagon…NO!!!)
Ben Wallace: Taking way too much heat for a lack of an offensive game in the playoffs, Ben Wallace appeared to just shake it off as fan frustration for losing. Besides, blame cannot be attributed solely to him. If anything, the Pistons would be much worse without their 4 time Defensive Player of the Year and anchor holding the team down with his twelve rebounds a game. Losing Ben Wallace would send the Pistons’ ship into treacherous waters, so they offered him a $48 million dollar contract. Shortly after, Wallace verbally agreed that he would be signing with the Chicago Bulls in a $52 million dollar contract. People were shocked that he would leave the franchise that embraced him with open arms for another four million, but the deal has reportedly been acknowledged as $60 million. Ben Wallace brings defense to a team that has been naturally soft in the frontcourt recently. Tyson Chandler’s injuries and the loss of Eddy Curry leave much to be desired. The Bulls will continue to rely on their guards for offense as Wallace will have none of that.
Jason Terry: Despite a roller coaster NBA finals ride, Jason Terry will continue to be Marc Cuban’s point guard. He signed an extension, and the terms were not disclosed. Jason Terry brings his clutch shooting abilities to the team that played scared in the waning moments of the last four finals games. In addition, the Mavericks desperately need him as the series questioned Devin Harris’ reliability.
Drew Gooden: The only major free agent whose contract negotiations are still underway. Sources report that he has been offered a $6.5 million dollar contract for 6 years, but Gooden is seeking a deal similar to Nene’s $60 milllion, 6-year deal. The Cavaliers’ wooing of similar players like Reggie Evans is impeding progress as well. Should the Cavaliers let Gooden walk, I do not believe they will lose much. Varejao played extremely well in the playoffs and showed tremendous amounts of heart. He is a fan favorite, and his energy and hustle will bring victories to the Cleveland crowd.
Sam Cassell: Despite rejecting an offer by the Clippers, Sam I Am finally resigned for two more years. Cassell will continue to provide veteran leadership to a very young, yet deep, starting five composed of himself, Corey Maggette, Elton Brand, Chris Kaman, and Cuttino Mobley. He will mainly serve as the mentor and player coach of Shaun Livingston who is acknowledged by Dick Vitale as the next Magic Johnson. I am glad to see Cassell retire after his two years because the Clippers desperately need to give Livingston the point. He creates numerous mismatches because of his size and has shown so much upside and heart since they acquired him.
Mike James: James was not on my list initially, and the reason was that he was not playing at an all-star level. This year, James averaged nearly twenty points and seven assists and his status is akin to Joe Johnson’s. Having played at an impressive level, James has been vocal about seeking a big contract. The Raptors were apparently not willing to offer him a lucrative deal, and they practically ousted him when they acquired T.J. Ford a few weeks ago. James has offered his services to the Minnesota Timberwolves who desperately need a point guard now that Marcus Banks left for Phoenix and Sam Cassell resigned with the Clippers. Sorry KG, you have to play with someone who thinks he’s MJ. James, Garnett, and Ricky Davis are the Wolves’ big three, and this trio can be as successful as Cassell, Garnett, and Latrell Sprewell. James needs to hit the big shots like Cassell, Garnett needs to play with heart and stop crying, and Davis needs to remain a consistent triple-double threat.