After the Summer of 2010’s free agent frenzy and the Summer of 2011’s mind-numbing lockout, it’s nice to arrive at a place where NBA transactions can once again take place. And of all the current free agents, there’s no one happier than Nene. He might not be Dwight Howard or Chris Paul, but the 29-year-old from Brazil has the potential to make just as big an impact (and payday).
The Nuggets can pay him more money than any other team, but after nine seasons in Denver it appears Nene is looking for a change of scenery. When you’re singled out as the No. 1 free agent on the board, there are certain distinctions that come with the honor. Often you’re the first to be pursued by teams, which inevitably drives up your price. But with countless franchises searching for a viable option at center, it’s eventually going to come down to personal preference.
“I learned last season that this was a business,” Nene told Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. “No matter how nice you are to people, no matter how nice people are to you, this is a business. I did my best for the team and they waited and waited to extend me. I was like, ‘Oh, OK, all these years playing good, doing your best and they still test you.’ That’s not about family, love and somebody liking you. It’s a business.”
After free agents Wilson Chandler, J.R. Smith and Kenyon Martin signed contracts to play in China during the lockout, the Nuggets found themselves between a rock and a hard place in terms of their roster. Denver had the chance to sign Nene to an extension – something that Nene freely admits he would have agree to had he been offered in-season – but they dropped the ball. Now, they stand to lose him for nothing. With that, here are the top 5 teams most likely to sign him:
1. New Jersey Nets
Last summer the Nets tried to sign LeBron James and ended up with Travis Outlaw instead. Mikhail Prokhorov is determined to never let something like that happen again. After missing out on the Carmelo Anthony sweepstakes, New Jersey was able to land Deron Williams. The question now is whether or not they’ll be able to keep him. We’ve already seen them make an offer for Dwight Howard, so if that doesn’t materialize, Nene might be the next best thing available. At the very least, if they can sign him for a reasonable price, he’s probably better trade bait than Brook Lopez. It’s important to note that the Nets would have room to sign Nene to a max deal if they used their amnesty clause on Outlaw.
2. Houston Rockets
Filling the void of Yao Ming will never be easy, but signing Nene would surely be a step in the right direction. The Rockets have had talent down low for the past couple of years, but have severely lacked actual size. Nene solves that problem. Daryl Morey is not one to overspend, so it will be interesting to see what he offers Nene coming out the gate. And of all the teams on this list, Houston has the most attractive assets for Denver in a potential sign-and-trade.
3. Los Angeles Clippers
Rather than waiting until Blake Griffin is ready to leave, the Clippers are smartening up and trying to assemble a contender now. While rumors have surfaced of Los Angeles trying to pair B.G. with Dwight Howard, Nene might be a more reasonable target. And if fellow free agent DeAndre Jordan leaves for greener pastures, signing Nene becomes even more important.
4. Golden State Warriors
There was no team busier during the lockout than the Warriors. Adding a new coach and all sorts of front office personnel, Golden State is ready to turn over a new leaf and make a run in the Western Conference. (Honestly, there’s never been a better time.) And with Mark Jackson at the helm, Nene would be a perfect complementary player to David Lee, Andris Biedrins and Jeremy Tyler down low.
5. Miami Heat
Tell me if you’ve heard this before. The Heat obviously need an upgrade at center, but do they have a shot at signing Nene? The answer is yes. While they would likely have to work out a sign-and-trade deal to land him, they have this in their favor: Nene wants to play for a contender and has long coveted Miami as a landing spot. In fact, Dallas too. And when money doesn’t become the overriding factor in a free agent’s decision, stranger things can happen.
What team do you think is most likely to sign Nene?
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