Limbo-ing freely, these players could change title hopes for some teams, and playoff dreams for others.
Let's look at the most intriguing pieces still on the market,
10. Greg Oden
He's said he plans to take the 2012-13 season off to continue rebahilitation of his knees, and if the former first overall pick can find any of the luck that recently un-retired Brandon Roy, a Blazers teammate, found in his comeback there are certainly some teams that would give him a chance. He'd make a decent backup in Indiana or Miami depending on what he's looking for in a team.
9. Baron Davis
Boom Dizzle is still recovering from a nasty knee injury suffered against Miami in the first round of the 2012 playoffs. The Knicks seem to like Sheed and have loaded up on point guards with Pablo Prigioni, Ray Felton, and Jason Kidd. Davis seems to be staying with the Knicks in a "multifaceted" role, hoping to make a comeback.
8. Mickael Pietrus
The 6-6 wing spent last season with the Celtics and didn't leave much of a mark. He'll contribute to a team that needs an athletic defender to match up with other teams' scorers. He won't be back in Boston and he says he's narrowed his search down to two teams and will sign soon.
7. Gilbert Arenas
Hibachi hasn't been the same player since returning from suspension. He doesn't take the same shots and same risks in clutch situations, and really isn't given the chance either. He averaged just 4.2 points in 17 games with the Grizzlies last season and has since been working out at the Lakers facilities, but there may be no room for him in LA. China seems like an option for the 30-year-old.
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| Gilbert Arenas leads a sour crew of guys still searching for an NBA club to suit up for in 2012-13 |
The 32-year-old still has some upside in limited minutes off the bench and he could be looking at New York if Ronnie Brewer has to miss any extended amount of time, but most likely he'll end up as Corey Magette's replacement on the Charlotte Bobcats where he worked out most recently. He'll have more of a chance to make an impact there, in Philly, or if he returns to Utah than he would in NY, and he could provide the most depth and experience as a 'Cat.
5. Michael Redd
The 33-year-old former team USA gold medallist made a nice comeback last season in the land of the setting Suns, averaging 8.2 points per game. He could stay in Phoenix but the team is transitioning and he may as well. He was reportedly close to signing in Minnesota, but changed his mind at the last minute before training camp began. He was also talking to the Wizards and Grizzlies.
4. Tracy McGrady
Last year in 52 games off the Atlanta bench, T-Mac scored 5.3 points, grabbed 3.0 rebounds and handed out 2.1 assists per game as a reserve. He looks like a ninth or tenth man at this point, but if he chose to go to, say, Charlotte he'd be about the eighth or even seventh man. If he wants to go to the Celtics or the Spurs, he'll play about eight minutes a game. It'll be interesting to see which direction the still-32-year-old goes this season.
3. Derek Fisher
Fish isn't exactly an NBA starting point guard at this point of his career, unable to keep up with the speed and quickness of the new PG generation, but there's still plenty the vet can provide. The 38-year-old stepped onto the Thunder last season in time for a solid playoff run as a backup guard, clutch three-point shooter, and coach-like presence. He's been working out in LA during the offseason, so expect him to be a Laker if he doesn't return to OKC.
Not a starter any more without the raw athleticism that made him so amazing in the early-2000s, K-Mart has made his own signing difficult by insisting he be paid more than the minimum salary while trying to select only a handful of teams he'd like to play for. He's turned down overseas offers, and the Knicks are bringing in Sheed instead of him. His options are limited but the Nets would make nostalgic sense as the team he began his career with and took to the Finals.
1. Leandro Barbosa
Steve Nash tried to lure the Brazilian blur to LA with him, but after the Lakers signed Jodie Meeks there's not much room for scoring shooting guards off the bench. A return to Phoenix would be intriguing to join a back court of Goran Gragic, Shannon Brown and Kendall Marshall, but he may end up signing for a year somewhere in Brazil. He's the best available talent.
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