Memphis Grizzlies: Should They Re-Sign Zach Randolph or Develop Darrell Arthur?

By: Stephen Patterson

With many signs pointing to Zach Randolph possibly receiving a four-year contract extension, this article could become a mute point in a matter of days.

According to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Randolph and the team have had serious discussions over the past week regarding keeping Z-Bo in a Grizzlies uniform for at least the next four seasons.

Randolph has been the backbone of this young Memphis team and has carried them squarely on his shoulders since Rudy Gay went down with his season-ending shoulder injury.

While Randolph is clearly one of the two best players on the Grizzlies roster, the team might not be completely lost if he ended up not signing the extension for some reason.

Back-up power forward Darrell Arthur has made major strides in this third season, looking to get even better moving forward.

That brings about a big question: Should the Grizzlies invest the massive amount of money it will surely take to keep Randolph in Memphis for the next four years or should they let him go and continue developing Arthur?

Personally, while I think Arthur is an amazing role player, I don't think he will be talented enough to be a top two or three player for a winning team with intentions of making playoff runs.

Randolph is averaging 20 points and 12.5 rebounds per game with a PER (player efficiency rating) of 22.31 through 67 games this season.

On the other hand, Arthur is averaging 9.4 points and 4.3 rebounds per game with a PER of 16.16 through 70 games this season.

While Arthur's numbers may not be mind-blowing, he has had several huge games for the Grizzlies this season and has shown up in the clutch during many games.

He has had a 24-point and five board game in a win against the Washington Wizards in January, as well as a 24-point and six rebound performance in a victory over the Denver Nuggets in February.

He also had a pair of 21-point performances in March—one in a win over the San Antonio Spurs and another one in a loss against the New York Knicks.

However, Randolph has consistently been one of the best power forwards in the league this season. He was considered to be a snub in the All-Star game this season along with LaMarcus Aldridge of the Portland Trail Blazers.

Without Randolph, the Grizzlies would probably be one of the three or four worst teams in the Western Conference.

According to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Randolph was initially demanding a three-year, $65 million dollar deal—similar to the contract that Pau Gasol of the Los Angeles Lakers is under.

While I love Z-Bo, and he does bring just as much to the Grizzlies if not more than Gasol does for the Lakers, he hasn't produced us any championships yet.

Heck, he hasn't even won Memphis a playoff game for the Grizzlies—yet.

I think a more reasonable extension for Randolph would be a four-year, $60 million contract that is laced with All-Star and playoff-based incentives that could make the deal worth as much as $75 million over its lifetime.

I also think the Grizzlies would benefit by front-loading the contract, although that may not be possible with the team trying to also retain Marc Gasol this summer, who is a restricted free agent.

If the Grizzlies somehow lose Randolph and they are unable to agree upon an extension, I think the team will be fine moving forward with Arthur as the starting power forward. Although, they likely won't enjoy the same success they have had this season right away.

They would also need to find a way to sign a veteran power forward in the offseason to come off the bench behind Arthur, as the depth at power forward would take a significant hit with Randolph's potential departure.

If the team needed to sign a power forward in the offseason, some of their possible options would include: Boris Diaw (who has a player option with the Charlotte Bobcats), Josh McRoberts, Kris Humphries, David West, Ronny Turiaf, Jeff Green (Restricted), Joey Dorsey, and Andrei Kirilenko.

Personally, I would love to see the Grizzlies make a huge push for David West if they are unable to keep Z-Bo for some reason.

West has been one of the best players on the New Orleans Hornets' roster for the past several seasons and would give the Grizzlies a solid offensive threat in the paint to replace Randolph's scoring.

McRoberts and Humphries would be two other players I would like to see the Grizzlies pursue in the case they need to rebuild the front court.

Joey Dorsey could be an interesting option the team should look at—just as a third option if they have a roster spot available. Many Memphis Tiger fans would love to see him return to where he became a college star.

Personally, I'm hoping the Grizzlies and Randolph can come to an agreement as soon as possible to keep him with the franchise for the foreseeable future.

With Randolph on the team, and assuming Gay returns to form next season and all of the teams' major role players return, Memphis should be a perennial postseason lock for the next few seasons in the Western Conference.

Tracy McGrady Closer To Finding New Team

By: Stephen Patterson

Free agent Tracy McGrady is beginning to receive interest from several teams, and has said he hopes to land with the Clippers, Bulls, or Heat. McGrady, coming off three injury-riddled seasons, is hoping to get the chance to revive his career with a new team this season. Due to injuries to his left knee, McGrady has been limited to only 65 games over the past three years.

McGrady took a physical with the Clippers on Tuesday, and worked out with the franchise yesterday. While GM Neil Olshey said the team was just doing "due diligence" in working out the former All-Star, he was said to be impressed with the workout. He didn't go out and say he would be signing T-Mac, but it is a good sign for him that his knee is at least holding up during workouts.

The Clippers have a hole in their starting line-up at small forward, and while it's not McGrady's primary position, he could make the move if it becomes his only available option. If the team does decide to give him a chance, it is expected they will only offer T-Mac a one-year contract. That would be the best case for McGrady in Los Angeles, at least with the Clippers, that way he can sign with a contender if he proves he still has a lot left in the tank.

The Bulls and McGrady have long had mutual interest and he will meet with Chicago early next week. The team explored drafting McGrady out of high school, but the move fell apart when Michael Jordan vetoed moving Scottie Pippen to jump up to draft McGrady. Joining the Bulls would give Chicago another scoring threat and bolster their odds of making a deep postseason run next season. While the team missed out on the "Big Three" that landed in Miami, they did land several quality pieces (Carlos Boozer, C.J. Watson, Kyle Korver, and Ronnie Brewer) that will help in their title hunt.

While the Bulls may appear to be most attractive destination for McGrady, I personally think he will end up with the Miami Heat if he can agree to a one-year contract at the minimum. McGrady told reporters last season while with the Knicks that he would re-sign with the team for the veteran minimum for a chance to play alongside LeBron James. If he was willing to do that, I'm pretty sure he would make the same decision to make a move to Miami. 

If McGrady does sign with Miami, it's unlikely he would start on a regular basis, unless the team moved Dwyane Wade to point guard, which I don't see happening unless McGrady reverts back to his 2000-2004 form. There haven't been any meetings scheduled between T-Mac and the Heat to my knowledge, but I would expect Pat Riley to at least be open to giving the 31-year-old former All-Star a glance. McGrady has never succeeded in the playoffs, never even making it past the first round, and would instantly move to a title contender if he signed with the Heat.

Regardless of which team McGrady chooses to sign with, he will need to prove he is comfortable with whatever role is given to him by the team. While some veterans have successfully taken smaller roles in recent years to chase titles, other players (see Iverson, Allen) have whined, moaned, cried, and left franchises because they couldn't accept the fact they are no longer 25 years old and in their primes. I think McGrady will fit in well and adapt to whichever team he chooses to sign with. Barring any more complications with his knee, expect him to be a serviceable player, still capable of exploding on the scoreboard when needed.

Houston's At It Again; Adds Brad Miller

By: Tyler Ward

The Houston Rockets announced today that they have signed all-around player Brad Miller to a 3-year/$15 million contract - this caps off a busy week, as Houston had already re-signed Luis Scola to a 5-year/$47 million extension. They also matched Cleveland's 3-year/$23 million offer sheet to point guard Kyle Lowry a few days ago.

Miller played for Chicago last season and will serve as a back-up to Yao Ming, who missed all of last season with a broken foot. Miller averaged 8.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per game last yea

The former All-Star preferred to play for Houston because of his relationship with coach Rick Adelman, who he played for in Sacramento. He played under Adelman from 2003-06. He also joins Kevin Martin, who he played with in Sacramento.

In a statement earlier today, Miller said, "It's my favorite coach I've ever played for. I know (Kevin) Martin real well from our Sacramento days. Luis Scola had a heck of a year. And I finally get to play with Yao Ming instead of guarding his big butt. The team is pretty solid."

Since teams could officially sign players on July 1, Miller had been courted by teams such as Boston, Atlanta, and Cleveland, with Chicago also expressing interest in re-signing the journeyman. He decided to go to Houston, where he said it was "too good to pass up".

Miller made two All-Star teams while playing with the Kings and had also played for Indiana (2x), Sacramento, Charlotte, and Chicago (2x). He has averaged 11.7 points and 7.5 rebounds per game over his 12-year career.

He joins a potent frontcourt in Houston, playing alongside Yao Ming and Luis Scola. The Rockets are hoping Miller will finish his career as a Rocket - the first two years of his contract are guaranteed, but the last year is just partially guaranteed.

Penny Hardaway Interested In Joining Heat?

By: Tyler Ward

Yes, even retired players are interested in joining the Miami Heat. After witnessing LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh form the best trio in NBA history, he immediately became enthusiastic about joining them. Hardaway hasn't played since 2007 - coincidentally, it was with Miami.

He told ESPN's Outside the Lines, "I'm just throwing my name in the hat. I'm just one to put my name out there and say, hey, I would love to be one of the guys to be on that team. I just really hope that they give me a great opportunity to come back down and show that I can do the things that I did a couple years ago."

Hardaway, 39, told Outside the Lines that he didn't want to play major minutes, as he hasn't played in 3 years. He retired after the 2007 season because he has had lengthy knee problems and surgeries. Hardaway had microfracture knee surgery a few years ago, which forced him to retire.

Personally, I would love to see Penny come back to the NBA. He is one of my favorite all-time players and I would love to see him finally win a championship. Even if he would play minimal minutes, he would still win a ring - yes, I'm calling the Heat next season's champions already. I'm sure Hardaway wouldn't sign for much and they could use him in case of an injury. Although he's gotten older, he can still shoot the ball and contribute if needed. Honestly, this would be one of my favorite sports transactions ever...yes, ever.

In the 1993 draft, Hardaway was drafted second overall by the Orlando Magic out of Memphis. Teaming up with dominate center Shaquille O'Neal, the Magic made the NBA Finals in 1995, but got swept by the Houston Rockets, 4-0. He missed the entire 1997-98 season due to a knee injury, but would come back and make four All-Star teams in the late 1990's. 

He was traded to Phoenix in 1999 and played well, but would only last four and a half seasons with the Suns. Hardaway was then traded to the New York Knicks, but his time was even shorter there, lasting two and a half seasons - he played only 83 games for the Knicks in those seasons. After a one-year hiatus, he signed with the Miami Heat in 2007, playing in 16 games and starting 8 of them. Playing around 21 minutes a game that season, he only averaged 3.5 points per game.

Hardaway has career averages of 15.2 points, 5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists with the Magic, Suns, Knicks, and Heat.

Redick Stays In Orlando

By: Tyler Ward

The Orlando Magic have formally announced that they will match the offer sheet from the Bulls - a 3-year/$19 million contract. Redick will now be in a Magic uniform for at least three more seasons. Magic GM Otis Smith announced the signing. He publically stated that the Magic would use the full amount of time to see if they would match or not.

Since Redick was a restricted free agent, the Magic had seven days to match any offer. In this case, it was the Bulls, as they were trying to sign the sharpshooter to go along with the newly-acquired Kyle Korver. It took Orlando all seven days to match the offer, but it comes at a price - this puts Orlando deeper into the luxury tax threshold. Redick's salary is now nearly doubled from what he made last season.

With the signing, this gives Orlando a competent backup shooting guard, behind Vince Carter. Redick has shown improvement since being drafted in 2006 and gives the Magic a nice spark off the bench. He has become a good all-around player and the Magic no longer rely on him for his defensive capabilities.

He has slowly become a favorite of coach Stan Van Gundy, and has been solely used as a bench player - Redick has only started 14 games over his four year career. Howver, Van Gundy has praised Redick for his work ethic and hustle. He even went as far to say that the Magic would match any offer for Redick, regardless of the price tag.

Redick has been with the team since being drafted out of Duke in 2006. He was highly praised for his shooting ability, which is why he was taken 11th overall. He had a great college career and many consider him to be one of the best shooters in NCAA history.

He has played sparingly through his first four seasons, but has shown signs of promise lately. Last season, he averaged 9.6 points per game during the regular season and turned it up a little bit versus the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, averaging 11.2 points per game.

With Redick, the Magic are hoping to stay in the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference after making the conference finals the last two seasons. He is an intricate piece of the Magic's puzzle and they are hoping Redick can help lead their team for the next three seasons - and maybe, just maybe, win their first championship in franchise history.

Although terms haven't been fully disclosed, he is expected to make a high amount his first two seasons, with the third one coming at a slightly lower salary.

Rockets Keep Scola With 5 Year Deal

By: Stephen Patterson

The Houston Rockets have made the decision to re-sign Luis Scola, giving him a 5-year/$47 million dollar contract to stay with the team. While the team had hoped to sign marquee free agent Chris Bosh, who decided to sign with the Miami Heat, they still retained a solid player to lead their front court. While Yao Ming should be returning to the Rockets this season, it is not known how long the team will be playing without him or how long he can stay healthy. This makes Scola one of their most valuable assets on the roster.

Scola has had career averages of 13 points and 8 rebounds during his three seasons with Houston, and has improved steadily in each season. He has also appeared in all 246 regular season games during that time. While some people may think Scola is being overpaid, considering Houston's only other solid front court player can't stay healthy, I think it's a good investment.

Along with Aaron Brooks, Kevin Martin, and Trevor Ariza, Scola will try to help lead Houston back to the playoffs this season after a disappointing 40-42 season in which the Rockets missed the postseason. Scola has the potential to be a 20-10 player for Houston and if he continues to stay healthy, this will turn out to be a good investment. Now, Houston must determine what they will do with superstar Yao Ming, whose contract expires at the end of the 2010-11 season.

Raja Bell Headed To Utah

By: Tyler Ward

Sources have confirmed that Raja Bell is headed to the Utah Jazz. Bell had drawn interest from the Spurs, Celtics, Lakers, among other teams.

He was scheduled to visit with nemesis, Kobe Bryant, in Los Angeles, in hopes of patching up their problems from the 2006 playoffs. In Game 5 of the first round series, Bell clotheslined Bryant, which immediately led to an ejection. In the postgame conference, Bell told the media that he was only retaliating against him for a hard elbow to the jaw by Bryant during the game.

In his words, Bell said, "It's a personal thing when someone continually hits you in the face. That's the only way I can put it. I've been playing as hard as I can play. I've been trying to do a good job, I've been trying to be what my team needs me to be, and I continually get hit in my face. There doesn't seem to be any boundaries or limitations for what he's allowed to do to me, and at that point, I kind of lost my cool and I took it into my own hands." He was suspended for the next game, but Phoenix ultimately won the series.

Apparently, there's going to be no meeting.

Reports say that Bell's contract is a three-year deal worth about $10 million. The Jazz have been rather busy this offseason, trading for Al Jefferson and cutting ties with Carlos Boozer and Kyle Korver.

Bell will more than likely get some playing time with Utah, where he played two seasons midway through the 2000's (03-05). He is expected to compete with C.J. Miles and Andrei Kirilenko for playing time, along with rookie Gordon Hayward.

He played 6 games last season with Charlotte and Golden State, averaging 11.6 points per game. Over his career with Philadelphia, Dallas, Utah, Phoenix, Charlotte, and Golden State, Bell has averaged 10.3 points per game. He is mostly known for his lock-down defense and is expected to fill that void for the Jazz this season.

Nuggets Make Their First Deal Of The Summer; Sign Harrington

By: Tyler Ward

A source confirmed tonight that the Denver Nuggets have signed forward Al Harrington to a 5-year/$34 million deal.

The Dallas Mavericks had interest in Harrington, but was only offering him a two-year deal at the mid-level exception, but the offer was too rich for him not to accept. Even though his contract is set at the mid-level exception, his agent convinced the Nuggets to sign him to a long term deal. Harrington said last week that he had a "good five years left." His Denver had to somehow pull off the Harrington signing, as their Western Conference opponent, Dallas, acquired big man Tyson Chandler from Charlotte earlier in the day.

The signing of Harrington was much needed, as the Nuggets expect PF Kenyon Martin and C Chris "Birdman" Andersen to miss the start of the season due to multiple surgeries. Harrington will more than likely be put into the starting rotation at the start of the season, playing alongside Nene.

Denver had also expressed interest in signing Jermaine O'Neal and Udonis Haslem, but they are both off the market - O'Neal signed with Boston and Haslem re-signed with Miami. After losing out on both players, they felt that they had to have somebody that can play power forward.

This was a great signing by Denver because they get a player that can score and rebound very well. With the injuries already at two, the Nuggets had to have someone like Harrington. He is also very athletic for his height and can take advantage by driving to the rim. Harrington has also always had a decent shot and can be a good complement to Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups.

Harrington was drafted by the Indiana Pacers with the 25th overall pick in the 1998 draft. He didn't get the opportunity to play much in his first three seasons, but he finally got his chance in 2001 and has averaged at least 12 points per game every since that season. Harrington will now be playing on his fifth team, while having stints in Indiana (2x), Golden State, Atlanta, and most recently, New York. For the Knicks last season, he averaged 17.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.

Miami Adds Big Z

By: Tyler Ward

The Heat continued their dominance in free agency today, signing former Cavalier, Zydunas Ilgauskas. "Big Z" will be re-united with LeBron James, who has spent his entire career playing with Ilgauskas.

Yesterday, the Heat re-signed power forward Udonis Haslem and officially announced the signing of swingman Mike Miller. This gives the Heat a dominant team with James, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, Mario Chalmers, and the three rookies they drafted this year. Also, this gives the Heat a 10-man roster with a few million left in cap space - Ilgauskas is expected to sign a two-year deal worth the veteran minimum, tallying around $1.4 million per season.

Ilgauskas expressed distraught with Cleveland last season after he was traded to Washington. The Wizards then proceeded to buy out his contract and since the Cavaliers were his former team, he was required by NBA rules to wait 30 days to re-sign with his former team. Ilgauskas eventually re-signed with Cleveland thirty days later and played sparingly throughout the rest of the regular season and playoffs.

He may also have wanted to leave Cleveland after a fiasco that infuriated not only Ilgauskas, but LeBron James, too. It isn't certain if it was coach Mike Brown's decision or not, but they sat Ilgauskas in a game where he could have set the Cavaliers' record of most games played in their history. The coaching staff said they didn't play Ilgauskas because of the smaller match-up he would have had against an athletic Dallas Mavericks team. Not to mention, all of his family was in attendance and didn't get to see him break the record. It was also the first time he was active for the Cavaliers and didn't play.

No wonder he left Cleveland, huh? 

This is such a valuable asset for the Heat as they just keep on adding more and more players. Ilgauskas brings them much needed height because Bosh is the only player with significant playing time that stands over 6'10". And although he is slowing down, he can still provide decent defense and mentorship for draftees Jarvis Varnardo and Dexter Pittman. I wouldn't hand them the trophy just yet, but it looks like they will be in the NBA Finals next season.

*UPDATE*

The Heat also announced today that they will also bring in power forward Juwan Howard. He is expected to sign a veteran minimum deal like Ilgauskas. The 37 year old will be the backup to Bosh and the newly signed Udonis Haslem. The Heat still have cap space, but they are really only able to sign players at the veteran minimum. Howard brings them a defensive presence on rebounds and even more leadership to a totally different Miami team.

Grizzlies Close To Signing Tony Allen

By: Tyler Ward

The Commerical Appeal learned today that the Memphis Grizzlies are close to signing free agent Tony Allen. Terms have not been fully closed, but Allen is set to make roughly $3 million in the first year of the contract. 

If the deal becomes finalized, Allen would join Rudy Gay, O.J. Mayo, and rookie Xavier Henry at the wingman positions for Memphis. Last week, the Grizzlies re-signed Rudy Gay to a five year deal worth approximately $81 million.

Allen is primarily known for his defensive capabilities, which is the main reason the Grizzlies signed him. Memphis gave up 104 points per game last year, which registered 24th out of 30 teams. They are hoping Allen can bring defensive help off the bench, as the Grizzlies struggled defensively last season. Offensively, he lacks a mid range shot, but he can get to the rim and draw fouls.

He also brings a championship pedigree to the Grizzlies, as he won a championship with the Celtics in 2008. Memphis said that is one of the main reasons they brought him in. They also like his leadership qualities and hope that it can help the Grizzlies get back above the .500 mark.

Signing Allen means that Memphis will completely cut ties with unrestricted free agent Ronnie Brewer. The Grizzles acquired Brewer last season for a protected 2011 1st round pick from the Utah Jazz. He played a total of five games for the Grizzlies last season.

The Celtics drafted Allen with the 25th pick in the 2004 NBA Draft out of Oklahoma State. He has averaged 7.2 points per game throughout his career thus far.

Miami Heat Make Fisher Offer

By: Stephen Patterson

The Miami Heat have made an offer to free agent point guard Derek Fisher after a three hour meeting in Miami. LeBron James reportedly met Fisher at the airport when he arrived in Miami, and made his own personal pitch to recruit the five time champion. One NBA source described the offer as "compelling", and would likely mean Fisher would be the starting point guard.

Derek Fisher has helped lead the Lakers to five championships alongside Kobe Bryant. The pair came into the league together and are the only players to be a part of all five championship teams. Fisher has left Los Angeles before, however, when he played with the Golden State Warriors and Utah Jazz for three seasons combined. He returned to the Lakers after his only season with Utah to get care for his daughter.


The Heat would almost certainly become favorites in the East with the addition of Fisher. While he is getting older, he can still score when he's needed and proved once again this past postseason he can still hit the clutch shots too. Regardless of the situation, Fisher is never afraid to take the late shot, but at the same, he knows when to pass the ball and not take a poor shot. Kobe Bryant has openly said Fisher is one of the most valuable pieces to the Lakers, and his addition to the Heat would certainly help the trio of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh.


Miami has also expressed interest in several other veteran free agents. Quentin Richardson, Joel Anthony, Chris Quinn, and Jamaal Magloire all has expressed interest in returning to the team. Udonis Haslem is expected to be back if the team can convince him to stay at a discount, which probably won't be a problem for a chance to win his second title. In my opinion, Richardson and Anthony would be the best fits on the new roster and should be their prime targets of the group. While Quinn is a solid shooter, there are still a few better options available. Magloire has always been overrated and should only be brought back if the team strikes out in their other attempts to lure front court players.


Some other rumored potential free agent targets for Miami include: Juwan Howard, Mike Miller, Raja Bell, Jason Williams, Larry Hughes, Flip Murray, Keyon Dooling, Earl Watson, Tracy McGrady, Matt Barnes, Allen Iverson, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and Shaquille O'Neal. 

Mike Miller has reportedly already signed his deal, but there are also reports suggesting financial arrangements are still being finalized. Either way, Miller will almost certainly be the sharpshooter the team needed most. Juwan Howard and the Heat have mutual interest and have already begun talks. O'Neal, Barnes, Iverson, Ilgauskas, and Bell have all expressed interest in possibly joining the Big Three as well. The other players are rumored to be on the list of players the team will speak with. 


Personally, the players I would target first and make the strongest pitches to are: Howard, Williams, McGrady, Ilgauskas, Richardson, and Haslem. Including the second round draft selections (Da'Sean Butler, Jarvis Varnardo, Dexter Pittman), that would give the Heat a roster looking like this for next season:


PG: Fisher, Chalmers, Williams
SG: Wade, Miller, McGrady
SF: James, Richardson, Butler
PF: Bosh, Haslem, Howard
C: Ilgauskas, Pittman, Varnardo


I would not only guarantee that Miami would win the title this season with that line up, but I'd also argue they have the potential to win over 70 games barring serious injuries. Before you laugh, that line up is a very real possibility for the Heat if they wanted to pursue it.  Every player on that list has expressed interest in recent days about joining the Heat except for McGrady. And while it has been rumored he won't sign for less than the mid-level exception, he publicly stated he would stay with the Knicks for the veteran minimum to play alongside LeBron if he signed there.


While many experts claim the Heat won't be able to sign enough quality players for the Heat to be considered favorites to win it all, I'd definitely argue that there are plenty of players available that could sign in Miami. I've already stated any free agent would be foolish not to consider the chance to play on this historic team, and I think there will be several big names that realize this is their best opportunity at a championship. While McGrady and O'Neal probably wouldn't sign for $1.1 million with most teams, I think they will strongly consider it for the opportunity to play with the best trio in NBA history.

Jermaine O'Neal Joins Celtics

By: Stephen Patterson

The Boston Celtics found their replacement for Rasheed Wallace today, agreeing to a 2-year/$11.5 million deal with free agent Jermaine O'Neal. The 13-year NBA veteran played with the Miami Heat last season, with averages of 13.6 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. While he does have a lot of mileage on his body, O'Neal can still contribute a lot to a contending team.

O'Neal will try to replace last summer's big acquisition Rasheed Wallace, who decided to retire shortly after Game 7 of the Finals against the Lakers. He will be the starting center for the team heading into the start of the regular season, and will likely hold the job until Kendrick Perkins is able to return from his knee injury.

The only concern I have with this signing for the Celtics is athleticism. Can their front court dominate the paint when O'Neal, Garnett, and Perkins all will be playing on surgically repaired knees? Age will once again be a widely discussed topic for the Celtics this season because they seem to be aging instead of adding youth to the team. It will be interesting to see how this team holds up against growing contenders such as Miami and Chicago.

LeBron James Update

By: Stephen Patterson

Since reports first broke last night that LeBron had decided to sign with the Miami Heat, there has been a massive reaction across the country to the news. Some fans are outraged, calling James a "traitor" and saying "he will never be close to Jordan's legacy now".  Others are excited to imagine the possibilities of the new Big Three and potentially one of the best teams ever.

If LeBron goes to Miami, every single free agent still on the market will atleast take a hard look at the Heat. Even for a massive cut, you'd be foolish to not even consider the option of playing side-by-side with James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. The over/under on that team with just those three players alone would be near 60 wins a season. Add some veteran help around their core, throw in a spot up shooter, and that number climbs to 70.

There may be higher expectations on James in Miami than Jordan had in Chicago. If LeBron leaves Cleveland for the Heat, almost every fan in Ohio will feel betrayed, and everyone in the country will be expecting his new team to win a title next season or atleast make the Finals. Michael Jordan had Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman, who were definitely stars, but Wade and Bosh may be an even more imposing duo. How would teams guard these three guys? Can't double team them all, and if you make one wrong move, you're going to get lit up.

There have been multiple reports saying LeBron flew into Miami last night to meet with Pat Riley, and if those reports are true, it appears the drama on his hour-long special tonight might already be over. Some people don't think James can play with Wade, and that he has to have the ball to be successful. Why couldn't three of the top 10 players in the NBA not find a way to make this work? You have to have an enormous basketball IQ to be as successful as this trio, and they will be able to find a way to make it work within a matter of a few games.

LeBron reportedly talked to Wade and Bosh on atleast four occasions yesterday. Their last conversation ended with LeBron saying "I'll see you on Friday." If that is the case, all 29 other teams better watch out because this team is going to be absolutely lethal if James does in fact sign with the Heat. Barring any late change of heart by LeBron, expect Miami to be the home of King James when he makes his official announcement tonight.

Ray Allen Going Back To Boston

By: Tyler Ward

The Celtics reported tonight that they have re-signed shooting guard, Ray Allen. The contract is said to be worth $20 million over two years. The second year also has an opt-out clause, ESPN's Marc Stein reports. Allen had endured interest from Chicago and Miami, but decided to come back to the Celtics for a chance to win another championship.

Since they re-signed Allen, the Celtics have to fill many roster spots after they've already committed $63 million to Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins, Glen Davis, and the money they have to pay Rasheed Wallace when he retires. With only six players, they are going to have to figure out some way to sign other players that can fill out the bench. 

It was likely that Allen would return to Boston after Paul Pierce came back and Doc Rivers decided to coach for at least one more season. They still have the same role players they did last year when they lost to the Lakers in the NBA Finals. This team, though, is getting older, so it may be a tougher road to get back to the Finals this upcoming season.

Allen has been known throughout his career as one of the best pure shooters in NBA history. Last season, Allen averaged 16.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game for the Celtics. For his career, Allen has averaged 20.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists with the Bucks, Sonics, and Celtics.

Top 15: Remaining NBA Free Agents

By: Stephen Patterson

With many of the top free agents already deciding their new homes, with the obvious exception being LeBron James. However, everyone in the world, myself included, have already given their opinions on where LeBron will call home next season. That's why I've decided to write another edition of NBA free agent predictions with the remaining guys. Below are the Top 15 free agents left on the market and where I think they'll land (LeBron excluded):

(Rank)(Name)(Predicted Destination)

15. Udonis Haslem - Miami Heat. If Haslem is willing to come back for a reduced price, I think he will definitely be returning to the Heat this season. Pat Riley has constantly maintained that he would like to bring him back, but the team is monitoring their finances until the top free agents have decided where they will play this year. The Heat have already kept Dwyane Wade and added Chris Bosh, making them a strong contender and a tough situation to pass up.

14. Brad Miller - Houston Rockets. With Yao Ming almost constantly injuring himself when he is actually able to play, Houston desperately needs to add a quality big man that can start or come off the bench. Miller is one of the most overlooked free agents of the summer and can still contribute solid scoring and rebounding despite being 34. He is also an excellent three point shooter for his size and will help stretch the floor.

13. Tyrus Thomas - Charlotte Bobcats. I expect Thomas to sign an offer sheet with a different team, but unless the deal is massively bloated, I expect the Bobcats to match the offer. Thomas hasn't quite lived up to his potential considering he was the 4th overall pick of the 2006 Draft, but he is still a quality player. The Bobcats need his athleticism and rebounding and I'm pretty sure he will end up being there this season.

12. Josh Childress - Washington Wizards. While it's no guarantee that Childress will return to the NBA this season, I think he will end up with the Wizards. Washington probably won't be contending for at least a few more seasons, but with his addition, they would definitely be a better team. With Miami already picking up two of the best free agents of the summer, the Wizards need to add more talent to have any hopes of winning their division in the near future.

11. Al Harrington - New Jersey Nets. Harrington could sign with a contender for less money, but New Jersey will likely put out several large offers out for various free agents and Harrington could be one of them. He has the ability to explode offensively and is more than willing to play off the bench if it helps the team win. While he could receive other offers, I think he ends up being one of Prokhorov's biggest acquisitions.

10. Mike Miller - Los Angeles Lakers. This is probably going to be Los Angeles' second acquisition to go along with PG Steve Blake. Miller is one of the most desired free agents left in the eyes of several teams, and he will likely be picked up sooner rather than later. While he could definitely make more money by signing with a different franchise, no one has a better chance at winning a title next season than the Lakers.

9. Brendan Haywood - New York Knicks. Haywood would be a solid addition for a team looking to move up in the Eastern Conference. After acquiring Amare Stoudemire, landing Haywood would only further strengthen their frontcourt. The Knicks are unlikely to land LeBron, with his decision almost certainly narrowed to Cleveland and Miami. Haywood helped lead the Mavericks to the second seed in the Western Conference and would likely bring a nightly potential for a double-double to New York.

8. J.J. Redick - Los Angeles Clippers. Redick is likely on his way out of Orlando, and if so, I think he will be the Clippers only catch of the summer. He has steadily improved over the past few seasons and is looking to cash in this summer with a solid contract. While he has stated that Orlando has an advantage in keeping him, I see him leaving if the team decides not to pull the trigger on a deal involving Vince Carter. While he's a solid player, Redick could potentially get overpaid by the Clippers as well, considering their history of poor business decisions.

7. Jermaine O'Neal - Dallas Mavericks. O'Neal is rumored to be considering Denver, Dallas, and Boston as possible destinations. While he would be in a good position with the Celtics, the Eastern Conference might be getting harder to get off than the West. While there is the increasingly difficult task of beating the Lakers to make it to the Finals, beyond that it is very a wide open fight in the Western Conference. If O'Neal agrees to terms with the Mavericks, he will only add to an already strong contender that landed the 2nd seed in the playoffs last season (although they suffered a shockingly quick exit).

6. Raymond Felton - New York Knicks. The Knicks are said to be very interested in signing Felton and I believe they will make him a good enough offer to entice him to come to the Big Apple. While he's not quite on the same level as Steve Nash, Felton should mesh pretty well Amare Stoudemire. They have the potential explode offensively, but I'm not sure if this team will be able to play enough defense to make it deep into the playoffs under head coach Mike D'Antoni.

5. Luis Scola - New Jersey Nets. New owner Mikhail Prokhorov will not let his team completely strike out in free agency if they can't land LeBron. While Scola isn't one the best players in the free agent class, he will come for a lot less than a maximum offer and give the Nets a quality power forward that brings a lot of energy. There is a decent chance he will be back with the Rockets, but in my opinion, he should get out while he can. Yao Ming isn't leading that team anywhere and they aren't close to being in contention for an NBA title.

4. Shaquille O'Neal - Boston Celtics. The Big Diesel could end up with the Hawks, but I personally seeing him sign a two year deal with the Celtics. It's no guarantee when Kendrick Perkins will be 100% after the knee injury he sustained in the Finals, and Shaq would provide veteran leadership for the team as well as a suitable replacement in his absence. This deal makes more sense for O'Neal than going to Atlanta because Boston will likely give him the best chance at another title.

3. Richard Jefferson - Miami Heat. If he is willing to accept less money to chase a title in a captivating environment, Jefferson may very well end up with Heat. They are going to make strong pitches to a lot of veteran players and if he is willing to accept a smaller contract, he could further add to a growing contender in the Eastern Conference. If Jefferson is motivated and in a good situation, he has the potential to put down 20 points per game for whichever team he signs with.

2. Ray Allen - Chicago Bulls (Darkhorse: Miami Heat). Ray Allen will likely follow Tom Thibodeau to the Bulls if he does indeed leave Boston. After reportedly being shopped over the entirety of the last year, he may not be too willing to pass up a huge offer from Chicago if they don't land LeBron. Look for the Heat to also make a run at Allen's services after LeBron makes his decision as well. I think Allen will eventually end up as Chicago's second big catch along with Carlos Boozer.

1. David Lee - Golden State Warriors. There have been reports surfacing late this afternoon that if LeBron signs anywhere other than New York, there is a deal in place between the Knicks and Warriors involving Lee. New York would sign and trade Lee to Golden State in exchange for Anthony Randolph, Kelenna Azubuike or Ronny Turiaf, and the expiring contract of Vladimir Radmanovic. While the Knicks won't be prying away Monta Ellis, they will land quality players and cap space for a run at Melo or another top free agent next summer making this a very intriguing deal for them.

Boozer Agrees To Deal With Bulls

By: Tyler Ward

ESPN's Ric Bucher announced Wednesday that the Chicago Bulls have signed Carlos Boozer to a 5-year/$80 million deal. Boozer is just the latest free agent to sign, as Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh signed with the Miami Heat earlier in the day.

LeBron James is still a free agent and the Bulls are listed as one of his final choices. James will announce Thursday where he will sign.

It was unlikely that Boozer would return to Utah this season after the Jazz matched the Trail Blazers' offer to Paul Millsap last summer for a new 4 year deal worth $32 million. Boozer could have opted out last year, but decided to stay in Utah for one more season and finish out his contract. The Bulls knew they had to have a commitment from somebody after Wade and Bosh went to Miami earlier this morning.

This instantly makes the Bulls one of the most formidable teams in the Eastern Conference, even if they don't sign LeBron James. They may have one of the best frontcourts in the NBA now with Boozer, Joakim Noah, and Taj Gibson as the backup. Chicago also has former Rookie of the Year, Derrick Rose and serviceable forward, Luol Deng to fill out the roster. With the signing of Boozer, the Bulls still have enough cap space to offer a maximum contract to somebody.

Boozer's payment plan could end up something like this:

- First Year: $13,793,103

- Second Year: $14,896,552

- Third Year: $16,000,000

- Fourth Year: $17,103,448

- Fifth Year: $18,206,897

However, the signing of Boozer means that LeBron James may not sign with Chicago. Boozer was taken 34th overall in the 2002 draft, a year before James was taken first overall by the Cavs. But, Boozer did leave Cleveland bitterly and signed with the Jazz in 2004, only after two seasons with Cleveland. This could mean that James may not want to play with Boozer and it could possibly introduce James' return to Cleveland.

Boozer played in 78 games last season with Utah, tallying an average of 19.5 points and 11.2 rebounds. In his first eight seasons in the NBA, Boozer has averaged 17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds with Cleveland and Utah.

Wade and Bosh To Miami

By: Stephen Patterson

South Beach just got a little hotter. While LeBron James waits to announce his decision tomorrow, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh have decided to sign with the Miami Heat. Wade returns to the team he's been with since he was drafted and has already won a championship with. Bosh is leaving the Toronto Raptors, who never even made it out of the first round of the playoffs during his tenure, to join Wade and the Heat. The duo will instantly become one of the most exciting duos in the league, and with the right supporting cast, they could be winning a few titles in the near future.

While cities such New York and Chicago are scrambling to land LeBron, they missed out on the next two biggest targets. Each city talked to Wade and Bosh about joining their franchises, but it's been clear all along that they wanted LeBron more than anything. Pat Riley now has two of three pieces he wanted to put together his Dream Team, and tomorrow night, he may land his last guy.


With the duo going to the Heat, LeBron is going to have to take another look at his options. I think Chicago is all but eliminated from contention at this point, considering they missed out on pretty much everyone they had targeted to pair with James. New York is still alive because they already struck and landed Amare Stoudemire, but I've never thought the Knicks were at the top of his wish list. Cleveland has no chance of landing Bosh now, and unless they can make a massive move in the next 24 hours, I don't see LeBron going back there either.

I think this narrows his choices to Miami and New York. The main thing is whether or not he wants to play with Wade and Bosh. Because they are already set to go to the Heat, James now has complete control over the Dream Team possibilities in Miami. The Knicks landed a superstar in Stoudemire and that may be enough to bring LeBron to New York, but they would need to sign one or two quality role players to help their cause. Personally, I've thought since the beginning of free agency that all three players would end up with the Heat, and I'm standing by that feeling now, especially since they are two-thirds of the way there.

There will be more coverage and updates on this situation and LeBron's possible destination here on the site over the next 36 hours.

LeBron To Announce Signing On Thursday

By: Tyler Ward

Free Agent LeBron James will announce which team he will sign with during an ESPN special on Thursday night, starting at 9 P.M. ET.

ESPN would not release what exactly would happen on Thursday during the special. Sources told ESPN's Chris Broussard that James' representatives contacted the world's biggest sports network, in hopes of broadcasting one of the biggest media frenzies in NBA history. His representatives also asked that they sell sponsorships during the special, with the money they earned going to Boys and Girls Clubs of America. ESPN agreed to the deal, also.

Earlier today, James opened a Twitter account and posted on the site for the first time. James' first post on Twitter said "Hello World, the Real King James is in the Building." By 9 P.M. ET, James already had over 167,000 followers, with most wanting to get daily updates on which team James is leaning to. He did not say which team he would go to, but he at least provided fans with something to look forward to this week.

It is also uncertain which teams are the finalists for James, but it has been said that they are Cleveland, Chicago, and New York. However, the media says New York is one of the three finalists, but I firmly believe that it is really Miami.

This could be one of the most watched events in sports history. There has really never been so much hype surrounding a player's choice in free agency. There will probably be millions of people worldwide tuning in for this historic event. In my opinion, it's about time LeBron announces where he will go, but I think he will end up staying in Cleveland. With LeBron signing on Thurday, expect all the free agent chips to fall in place as players like Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and Carlos Boozer will probably sign somewhere shortly after the special.

LeBron No Shows His Own Camp

By: Stephen Patterson

LeBron James is adding further fuel to the growing feeling that he may be on his way out of Cleveland. He missed the first and second of five sessions at his Nike camp in the Cleveland area today, making many people begin to wonder if he has already decided to move on. While it's not known at this time if James plans to attend the afternoon or evening sessions, I would say it's unlikely he does unless there's a valid reason he missed the first two.

Many of the top free agents are having trouble seeing the fans of their previous, and possible former, teams. While he still hasn't left the Heat, Dwyane Wade "accidentally" missed a large group of fans at the airport in Miami yesterday and today canceled a press conference in fears the attention would "overshadow the event". To my knowledge, Amare Stoudemire didn't say any goodbyes publicly to the fans of Phoenix at any point before he signed with the Knicks yesterday.

With high profile free agents already avoiding media and fans over the past few days, it seems James has decided to join the group. There were reports earlier today that LeBron was making the decision alone at this point, and that he is no longer taking advisements from his inner circle of friends and colleagues. It has also come to light there is a rift between James and William "World Wide Wes" Wesley. With reports circulating for weeks that Wesley was telling people LeBron would be in Chicago, James finally got tired of hearing him spreading the word he had picked his destination. But missing his own camp in Cleveland today definitely doesn't help convince Cavaliers fans their superstar is staying in Ohio.

Atlanta Gets The Big Diesel?

By: Tyler Ward

It has been reported today that ex-Cavalier Shaquille O'Neal is seriously favoring going to Atlanta for a 2 year deal, starting at $5.8 million the first year. The source said that, "I think he wants to see how everything shakes out with all the free agents, but he's seriously considering Atlanta's offer. He wants to play two more years, and he wants to be with a contender. He thinks he can help them become a serious one." The source asked not to be named. O'Neal made $20 million with the Cavaliers last season, so he would have to take a substantial pay cut if he really wanted to play in Atlanta.

The salary cap for the 2010-11 season is approximately $56.1 million. Including the Joe Johnson re-signing and rookie Jordan Crawford's $1 million salary, the Hawks would have 10 players under contract for about $63 million next season. This does not include the qualifying offer extended to Josh Childress for $4.8 million. This means that Atlanta is about $7 million above the cap, so Atlanta would have to dump a few players in order to get O'Neal. 

Another rumor going around today is that the Hawks are exploring trade options for F Josh Smith. In 2008, the Hawks matched the Memphis Grizzlies to keep Smith with a 5-year/$58 million extension. Smith is scheduled to make $11.6 million this year. If the Cavs re-sign Shaquille O'Neal to a 2-year deal worth $5.8 million each season, they could do a sign-and-trade deal with Atlanta in exchange for Smith. This would put the Hawks approximately $1.8 million still over the salary cap. They may have to move another player if they wanted Shaquille O'Neal in a Hawks uniform bad enough.

The Hawks have also considered moving F Marvin Williams, also. Williams is scheduled to make $6.7 million this year. Personally, I think $6.7 million may be too much for Williams. He has failed to live up to the expectations of one of the best players in the draft. If they can dump Williams for a decent veteran player, they may be able to sign O'Neal, depending on the contracts. 

Atlanta's re-signing of Joe Johnson is a good reason why O'Neal may want to go to Atlanta. If Joe Johnson didn't return, the Hawks would have lost out on a perennial 20-point scorer and Jamal Crawford would have to be put in the starting role. With Johnson, arguably their best player, they are a top team in the Eastern Conference and could do well in the playoffs. The addition of O'Neal would supply another big man off the bench. Atlanta could possibly bring a competitive playoff team next season if they get O'Neal and a veteran role player.

O'Neal averaged 12 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game last season. He also only played an average of a little over 23 minutes per game. All these were the lowest of his 18 seasons.