Free Agency - Part 1

While LJW (LeBron James Watch) is fully underway, I am not diverting any attention to the most overhyped basketball story of the new millennium. Ditto for D. Wade. And really, when did C. Bosh get that good?

Week 1 of Free Agency is nearing a close and there have been a handful of moves to date. For starters, let's look at the knee-jerk reactions by teams that "needed" to re-sign their own.

1. Joe Johnson (SG, Hawks) - Oh Atlanta! Just when you had hoop-heads convinced that you were turning a corner as a laughing stock franchise, you go out and give JJ a max deal? Really? Him. The pros and cons are fairly straight forward. Pro - solid scorer that is the team's leader. Con - 6 years and too much $ for a 29 year old guard that plays spotty D (at best.)

2. Rudy Gay (SG, Grizzlies) - Oh Memphis! (I really like that intro...) You'll never get it right, similar to the story of your franchise - basketball in Vancouver? Huh? Oh, that won't work but Memphis will! Huh? Where to from here? Wherever it is, I guarantee you'll be shackled w/Gay, the top scorer from a year ago that plays no D and GOT A MAX DEAL!?!?!

Two signings in and I'm seeing a trend. Push the panic button for the only player that can consistently drop points and hopefully fill some seats in the process. YIKES! Questionable business acumen by these two front offices.

3. Amar'e Stoudamire (PF, Knicks) - When a team signs a guy with bad knees and a bad eye, that's Amar'e! Plan A - Get LeBron (could still happen, but doubtful.) Plan B - Get D. Wade (could still happen, but more doubtful.) Plan C - Get C. Bosh (less likely w/Amar'e in the fold.) Plan Q - GET AMAR'E - nobody will notice that we're this far down on the checklist. Why Amar'e? He's a name that can generate some interest. Why not Amar'e? His injury history translates to a contract that can't be insured so the Knickerbockers are on the hook for all $100 mil that is due Mr. Stoudamire over the next five years. A dubious move from the "genius" that is Donnie Walsh, even worse when you combine that w/the fact that he and Knicks' coach Mike D'Antoni are not exactly BFF...At Coach D's pace, he'll be fired by season's end (at the latest.)

4. Dirk Nowitzki (PF, Mavericks) - the face of the franchise is back after dipping his toe in the free agent waters for about 4 minutes. When the terms are disclosed, we'll figure out if this move made sense.

5. Paul Pierce (SF, Celtics) - the face of the C's comes back w/a restructured deal (opting out of $21+ for next year and signing for $61 for the next 4. Sure it's a net positive for the Truth but it frees up significant money for the C's to retain players and retool an otherwise aging roster that has 7 free agents.