FanPost

2009 Free Agency: Part One

I've been doing a lot of research on our 2009 cap space potential and possible free agents. This is the first diary in my multi-part series.

PART ONE: WHO'S GOING TO BE AVAILABLE?

Disclaimer: I'm NOT including potential Restricted Free Agents (Chris Paul and Deron Williams). Why you ask?  Mainly, because there is ZERO potential that we will even offer one of these guys a restricted free agent contract. Their teams will 100% for certain match the offer, which would lock them up long term, case closed.  The ONLY chance (and it is a small one), that we can sign someone like this in summer 2009 is via a sign and trade deal, which will be covered in a future installment.

Okay, that out of the way, here's the list of potential signees.  I'm limiting the list as follows:

  1. Point guards and small forwards only.
  2. potential starter-quality.
Unrestricted in 2009
--------------------
Andre Miller
Desmond Mason
Lamar Odom

Unrestricted in 09 if they play for the
qualifying offer only next season:
---------------------------------------
Delonte West
Ben Gordon
Jannero Pargo
Luol Deng
Josh Childress
Andre Iguadola

Unrestricted in 09 if they play
out their option for 08-09:
-------------------------------
Gilbert Arenas
Shawn Marion
Baron Davis
Corey Maggete
Ron Artest

Unrestricted in 09 if they opt out after 08-09:
-----------------------------------------------
Quentin Richardson
Kobe Bryant

This list will become much clearer after this summer, when we'll know who from groups 2 and 3 will join group 1 in the "unrestricted in 2009" category. We'll also know if anyone in group 1 signs an extension this summer.  We won't know on group 4 until summer 2009.

So, who on the list do you all think we should target?  How much salary do you think they will command?  Who would be interested in coming our way? It seems to me most of them should be in the $10 to $15 million per year to start range, with a few very notable exceptions that will be higher, and a few that will likely be lower.