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2010 NBA Free Agency Signings Analysis – July 9
Dallas Mavericks re-sign C Brendan Haywood to 6-year, $55 million deal
The price for Haywood’s services had been increasing every day since free agency began because so many teams are looking for a physical big man. Dallas was in the exact same boat which is why they had to pony up an average of $9 million per year to retain the 7-footer. If the Mavericks chose not to spend big bucks on Haywood, the Plan B was quite the dropoff with guys like Shaq or Brad Miller being the best of the rest. With the worthless Erick Dampier likely not returning to Dallas, Haywood provides the post presence to pair up alongside Dirk Nowitzki. No, he is not worth $55 million, but what other option did Dallas have?
Boston Celtics sign C Jermaine O’Neal to 2-year, $11.5 million deal
With Rasheed Wallace likely retiring and Kendrick Perkins coming off major knee surgery, Boston needed to add a veteran big man with their mid-level exception. O’Neal is another aging player who is on his final legs and will be hungry to win a title. But does he have enough left in the tank to help the Celtics get back to the promised land? O’Neal has never been a physical inside presence and has been labeled as “soft” so I am not sure how he will help Boston inside playing alongside Kevin Garnett. If he is willing to take a back seat to the Boston Three Party and Rajon Rondo which I expect he would be, O’Neal will add another talented big man, but I cannot see him helping the Celtics get over the hump.
New Jersey Nets sign F Travis Outlaw to 5-year, $35 million deal
Thirty million dollars in cap space must have been burning a hole in Mikhail Prokhorov. He knew the Nets were out of the LeBron sweepstakes so he panicked and decided to give Travis Outlaw $7 million per year for five years. It has to be the only explanation. ISH. Outlaw is not a terrible player by any means but he is nothing more than a solid bench player at best. Why give him that type of money when you already have Terrence Williams and Damion James who can play the three? I don’t get it. Did New Jersey hire David Kahn for a day and not tell anyone? This contract is going to look even worse in two years when the Nets are trying to get it off their hands and nobody will touch it.
Los Angeles Clippers sign SF Ryan Gomes to 3-year, $12 million deal and G Randy Foye to 2-year, $8.5 million deal
The post-LeBron effect has set in. The Clippers had no true chance of landing LeBron and had to hurry and fill out the depth of their roster with the remaining free agents. Gomes can step in right away and likely becomes the starting small forward until first-round pick Al-Farouq Aminu is ready to take over that role. Foye adds experience off the bench and can play either guard position. The Clippers needed to bring someone like him into their organization since rookies Eric Bledsoe and Willie Warren are likely not ready to be major contributors off the bench.
MISSING
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