The top tier NBA free agents are signed, sealed and delivered, but there are still a handful of guys that can help impact teams this year. And with the season starting in nine days, it’s time to pull the trigger to get them into camp as soon as possible. With that, here are the Top 5 NBA Free Agents Available. Remember, spend your money wisely. Read More »

Doesn’t it feel like David West sort of belongs on the Celtics? He has a little dog in him, and maybe it’s just us, but he seems like a great fit up there. Luckily for Boston fans, Danny Ainge agrees with us, and as of now, the Celtics are on the verge of adding the former All-Star Hornet through a sign-n-trade. Adrian Wojnarowski reports that while it isn’t done quite yet (New Orleans is in limbo right now because they’re focusing on CP), it will be for three years and somewhere between $27-29 million and will probably have Boston send Jermaine O’Neal and one other player to the Hornets. Still, there are question marks. He’s 31 and coming off a major ACL injury. He also technically plays the same spot as Kevin Garnett, although those two could easily play next to each other. Read More »

While the Magic seem bent on holding out until the last possible instant, or at least until Dwight Howard gives them a definitive answer, the Hornets are being aggressive. The Hornets, who have talked a little bit with teams in the past week about Chris Paul, are now reportedly engaged in serious talks with multiple teams around the league. A major trade is coming, and we’re guessing it’s before training camps open on Friday. The biggest names, according to CBSSports.com, are the Celtics, Clippers, Warriors and Mavericks. There are rumors flying all over the place, but we continue to hear that the Celtics offered Rajon Rondo, two future first round picks and Jeff Green in a sign-n-trade for Paul. Read More »

While Marc Spears is reporting that Greg Oden is “strongly leaning” towards taking the one-year $8.9 million qualifying offer from Portland and just becoming a free agent next summer, there is another team who could go out and snatch up the oft-injured big man. When you roll an entire season with a list of centers that miraculously tops out at Joel Anthony, taking a chance on a talent like Oden isn’t a big risk. Sure, he’s a risk individually. But for the Miami Heat, it’s moves like this that could turn them into a potential dynasty, and if it doesn’t work out, it might not do much harm. Read More »

I guess nuclear winters don’t last too long. After a tormenting string of false alarms heralding “progress” and “optimism,” the NBA lockout is finally almost over, which means it’s time to dust off that part of your noggin associated with fantasy basketball again. As NBA players will have to get back into game shape in a brief period of time, fantasy basketball owners will have less than a month to skillfully shift into a mode that might seem foreign by now. There are important things to keep in mind, habits to form and preparations to be had. Read More »

The Sacramento Kings have sky-high potential when it comes to fantasy appeal. The question is whether they’ll have enough touches and shots to appease all the offensive weapons available. With so many mouths on this team to feed, fantasy owners should keep their expectations in check when it comes to the weekly production of any one of the Kings’ main rotation players. Read More »

Born and raised in America, I don’t really have an outsider’s perspective on leaving my home country for another place, another culture, another world. I only know patriotism in reference to the good ol’ USA, not an adoptive pot I’ve melted into or otherwise. Developing a patriotism for a new place in my adulthood is a concept out of my grasp.

But basketball players do it all the time. Sometimes they’re born on one continent and move at a very young age where they develop their hoops skills. Sometimes they come to America to play for the NBA, eventually gaining U.S. citizenship. Other times, guys flee their home country to play for a national team despite them ever having learned the country’s official language. Read More »

Ironically, just as last week’s NBA Draft had about as much star power as a WNBA game, this summer’s free agent class is also incredibly weak up top. Today, news broke that David West will opt out of his contract and become a free agent. He seriously might be the best player available this summer. Compare that to one year ago when it seemed every franchise player was on the market. Read More »

I think most Knicks fans would agree that what the team needs more than anything else this summer is a big, shot-blocking presence inside. You can get away with playing Bill Walker and Shawne Williams on the wings because of Carmelo and Amar’e. But the head of an improved defense needs to start inside, and the combination of Ronny Turiaf and Jared Jeffries isn’t getting it done. Read More »

Beast of the Night: David Lee posted 29 points, 20 rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block last night. He shot 77 percent (13-17) from the field, 100 percent (3-3) from the foul line and had four turnovers. This was the kind of line many fantasy owners expected to see from Lee this season, but he fell short of expectations, thanks in part to Wilson Chandler’s tooth. In the past month, however, Lee has averaged top-12 numbers. He shouldn’t be forgotten on draft day next fall. Read More »