Updated: A position-by-position breakdown/ranking of the 2010 NBA Free Agent class
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After dissecting the Class of 2009 earlier in the week, it's time to breakdown the prolific free-agent crop that has launched 10,000 articles and 100,000 blog posts – the incomparable Class of 2010.
It has been whispered about within certain circles for years. It has been the genesis of infinite message board threads from coast-to-coast since as far back as 2006. And it has grown in both stature and mystique with each passing month.
Yes, we are talking about the epochal, mythical, seminal Summer of 2010, aka The Summer of LeBron.
It goes by many names and means different things to different people. To Knicks fans, it represents hopes and dreams. For a once-proud franchise caught in a maelstrom of mediocrity, it is a beacon of light.
For denizens of Cleveland, Miami, and Toronto, at its worst, it represents potential wickedness, inequity, and all things evil.
However, while the possible relocation of LeBron, Wade, or Bosh originally garnered the lion's share of attention and commotion, they are certainly not the only names on team's shopping list.
When you step back and look at the names and sheer volume of legit superstars that could be available, it is simply astonishing.
In fact, I'll go out on a limb and assert that 2010 will not only represent the greatest free-agent class in NBA history, it is arguably the greatest FA class ever, in any of the four major sports. There may be upwards of 10 Hall-of-Famers up for grabs at one time. You tell me the last time that happened, in any league…
Alright, enough with the grandiose preamble; let's look at the specifics – the complete, updated inventory is listed below and broken down into specific sub-sets…
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First up, we have the three young studs from the legendary draft class of 2003. These three have 'Player Option clauses' in their current contracts which, if declined, would allow them to become unrestricted free-agents on July 1, 2010 (in parentheses are the monetary values of the contracts they are owed under their current contracts):
LeBron James (owed 17.2 million in 10/11)
Dwayne Wade (owed 17.0 million in 10/11)
Chris Bosh (owed 17.1 million in 10/11)
This next grouping consists of those players that are signed thru 2011, but have Early Termination Options (slightly different from Player Options) and can also opt out in 2010 if they so choose:
Amar'e Stoudemire (owed 17.7 million in 10/11)
Dirk Nowitzki (owed $21.5 million in 10/11)
Paul Pierce (owed $21.5 million in 10/11)
Yao Ming (owed 17.7 million in 10/11)
Mike Redd (owed $18.3 million in 10/11)
Tyson Chandler (owed $12.8 million in 10/11)
Next are the notable names who do not have options in their deals and whose current contracts expire following the 2009-2010 season, which means they will become honest-to-goodness unrestricted free agents:
Joe Johnson
Ray Allen
Manu Ginobili
Marcus Camby
Tracey McGrady
Brad Miller
Jermaine O'Neal
Mike Miller
Shaquille O'Neal
There are also a slew of stars whose contracts are set to expire in the summer of 2010; but they have opt-out clauses following the 2008-2009 season which they may choose to exercise, thus taking them off the market a year early:
Steve Nash (owed $13.1 million in 09-10)
Carlos Boozer (owed $12.7 million in 09-10)
Memo Okur (owed $9.0 million in 09-10)
Hedo Turkoglu (owed $7.4 million in 09-10)
In addition to the stars listed above, these 'second-tier' players, a mix of experienced veterans and rising youngsters, are set to hit the open market in 2010 as well:
Udonis Haslem
Zydrunas Ilgauskas (option to opt-out prior to 2010)
Anderson Varejao (option to opt-out prior to 2010)
Al Harrington (option to opt-out prior to 2010)
Ben Wallace
T.J. Ford (player option for '10-'11, owed 8.5 million)
Jamal Crawford (option to opt-out prior to 2010)
Richard Jefferson (ETO)
Amir Johnson
Raja Bell
Jerry Stackhouse
Peja Stojakovic (ETO)
Josh Howard (*Mavs have a Team Option for $11.8 million in 10/11)
John Salmons (ETO)
Travis Outlaw
Rafer Alston
Luis Scola (restricted)
Roger Mason
Chris Duhon
We should also list some talent from the Draft Class of 2006. Unless they sign extensions over the next 16 months, these players will all be restricted free-agents in 2010. With all the teams that are working to clear cap-space, a franchise may be willing to throw plenty of cash at one of these players if they strike out on landing a stud FA:
Brandon Roy
Rudy Gay
LaMarcus Aldridge
Andrea Bargnani
Rajon Rondo
Tyrus Thomas
Kyle Lowry
Randy Foye
Josh Boone
Renaldo Balkman
Sergio Rodriguez
Ronnie Brewer
Jordan Farmar
And we should also include those players from the 2005 Draft Class that have yet to sign long-term deals. Chances are most of these guys will get locked up this summer, but if any of them sign one-year qualifying offers, they'll hit the market as unrestricted FA's in twenty-ten:
David Lee
Marvin Williams
Raymond Felton
Charlie Villanueva
Hakim Warrick
Nate Robinson
Jarrett Jack.
Linas Kleiza
Last but not least, we'll round out the complete list of players that will become free-agents in 2010. (Some of these names will have value due solely to the fact that their contracts come of the books at the right time):
Joel Przybilla (ETO)
Larry Hughes
Eddy Curry (option to opt-out prior to 2010)
Quentin Richardson
Carl Landry (Team Option)
Chuck Hayes (Team Option)
Rasual Butler
Bruce Bowen
Earl Watson
Luke Ridnour
Matt Harpring
Derek Fisher
Speedy Claxton
Brian Scalabrine
Tony Allen
Patrick O'Bryant
Anthony Roberson
Randolph Morris
Sasha Pavlovic
Antoine Wright
Steven Hunter
Anthony Marrow (restricted)
Brent Barry
Marquis Daniels (Team option for '09-'10)
D.J. Mbenga
Chucky Atkins
Kelenna Azubuike (Player Option)
Darko Milicic
Dorell Wright
Yakhouba Diawara
Mark Madsen
Craig Smith
Dominic McGuire (restricted)
Kurt Thomas
Francisco Oberto
Antonio Daniels
Jerome James
Brendan Haywood
Tony Battie
Anthony Johnson
Tim Thomas
Brian Cardinal
Damien Wilkins
Mark Blount
Bobby Simmons
Kenny Thomas
Matt Bonner
Etan Thomas
