It was back in 1998 and the newest member of the Portland Trail Blazers was getting the full tour of the Rose Garden by a member of the Blazers promotions staff. By the time the visit of the arena commenced on his new home floor, Wells became so choked-up and emotional that he fought back the tears. It was a long journey. What had started at Muncie Central High School and continued at Ball State University where Bonzi was a standout swingman, had culminated at the pinnacle of the Association.

But now ten years and five NBA teams later, Bonzi is likely experiencing a completely different range of emotions -stress, doubt, anxiety – as the 31-year-old has essentially become a forgotten player in what is now a fading summer of free agency.

Where are the offers?

Why have teams passed on Bonzi?

Where will Wells eventually land?

Some questions are easier to answer than others.

Along with his agent Merle Scott, Wells' name has remained relatively tucked away and obscure on the open market compared to the other rumors and signings over the past few months. There were rumblings early in the offseason that New Orleans may try to bring Bonzi back, but with the offseason drawing to a close there remain some apparent doubts in the Big Easy. After arriving in a trade from Houston in late February, Wells filled in nicely on the Hornets bench, despite finishing with his lowest overall numbers (8.8 points in 22 games) since his second year in Portland.

At a bargain basement price (Wells made $2.3 million last season) though, New Orleans wouldn't hurt their financial situation by retaining Wells and perhaps those discussions could occur in the coming weeks.

New Orleans supporting cast isn't hurting by any means either, but Wells wouldn't cost General Manager Jeff Bower a lot (Bonzi signed a two-year deal with Houston after his time in Sacramento for $4.5 million) of money and Wells would know his role with the Hornets. And knowing what transpired two summers ago - while then under the guise of different representation and in Sacramento - Wells doesn't appear to be in the habit of waiting for a better offer to come his way.

He'll be the first to tell you don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

Back then with the Kings, Bonzi passed on inking a five-year deal worth a reported $38.5 million and now two teams later (Sacramento and Houston), Wells finds himself without a team with NBA training camp set to open in a matter of weeks.

Yet when it comes to Wells, his track record precedes him. The spotty resume obviously doesn't sit well with some front offices around the league leaving some hesitant to inquire about his services. Bonzi's run-ins with fans, players, a handful of head coaches (see Mike Dunleavy, Mike Fratello and Jeff Van Gundy) and the media alike are well documented. It's no wonder Wells ranked seventh among the "most hated athletes" according to GQ.com two years ago.

That sort of stigma is hard to shake.

While Bonzi's questionable past character issues certainly don't help his cause, he has shown signs of maturation when placed within the right system however. He flourished in Memphis under Hubie Brown, contributed significantly off Rick Adelman's bench in Houston and didn't ruffle any feathers in his short time with Byron Scott in New Orleans.But truth be told, Bonzi's game isn't what it once was. He has yet to play a full 82-game season and continues to battle injury after injury. The one-time slasher is now primarily a jump shooter and his conditioning - namely his weight - remains suspect.

Instead of integrity issues, these have become the main concerns about Wells and explain the lack of interest during free agency.

As one source familiar with Wells' situation told HOOPSWORLD, Bonzi "can only help certain teams, almost strictly off the bench." The source then went on to describe Wells as, "kind of a one-trick pony", who "tends to get out of shape pretty fast."

That's not exactly a vote of confidence for Bonzi Wells in a dried-up free agent pool.

What remains to be seen now is where this "one trick pony" will ride again.