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New, old teams vie for agents

NBA Report

Christian Schmidt

This NBA offseason has already been the most interesting one in years. Superstars (Jason Kidd), former superstars (Gary Payton and Alonzo Mourning) and some solid starters who can help get a team to the playoffs (P.J. Brown and Radoslav Nesterovic) are among others in the free agent pool.

With the implementation of the NBA's salary cap, teams have become more and more careful about signing veterans to big contracts. Thus, the most desirable free agents are getting signed quickly while the rest may have to wait a few weeks.

The Lakers' Dream Team

In one day, the Lakers again firmly established themselves as the team to beat in the Western Conference and the entire NBA. The team already had the two best players in the league in Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. 

Now they have added two future Hall-of-Famers in Karl Malone and Gary Payton.

Both Malone and Payton accepted tiny fractions of their current pay to join Los Angeles, creating what has the potential to be one of the greatest teams in NBA history.

New Jersey nets big fish

The New Jersey Nets became the big-free agent winners in the East just by re-signing Kidd, the best point guard in the league. That wasn't enough to satisfy Nets management (or Kidd himself), so it also signed Miami center Alonzo Mourning — an elite player in the NBA just a few years ago. At 33, Mourning isn't too old, but there is a growing concern for his health. He missed most of the past two seasons because of a kidney ailment. If Mourning can play a full season for the Nets, the $5 million-per-year investment will look like a bargain. If he can't, a four-year, $20 million dollar contract could sink the Nets.

Spurs go foreign

After losing out in the Jason Kidd sweepstakes, the Spurs decided to go for a big man, namely 7-foot Minnesota center Radoslav Nesterovic. The Slovenian sharpshooter will replace David Robinson in the lineup and provide a credible post presence to help out Tim Duncan. He is not the defensive presence of Robinson and is primarily a jumpshooter.

The upside is that the Spurs will still have about $9 million to use on signing another free agent or save in preparation for Manu Ginobili's impending free agency a year from now.

Players staying at home

Indiana's Jermaine O'Neal will re-sign with the Pacers, according to published reports. O'Neal and Kidd aren't the only players who are looking to stay with their teams. Brad Miller is expected to stay with the Pacers, as is New Orleans' P.J. Brown.

Leftovers

The free-agent period will still be hot for the next several weeks, with a number of second-tier free agents making deals with teams. Among these are Nets guard Lucious Harris, Clippers center Michael Olowokandi, Spurs guard/forward Stephen Jackson and Detroit guard Jon Barry. With the exception of Olowokandi, expect most of these players to stay with their current teams.

There is also some top-tier talent in the restricted free agent market (teams with restricted free agents have the right to match any contract offer another team gives the free agent). The Clippers' Andre Miller and Corey Maggette both received offers from the Nuggets and Jazz respectively. The Clippers are unlikely to match both offers, though they may choose to keep Maggette.

Elton Brand, also of the Clippers, is a restricted free agent as well and may attract attention from teams. With $8-9 million in money under the cap, the Spurs may be interested in Brand.

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