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Cory Elfrink

Free Agent Preview: Forwards and Centers

July 1, 2009 11:28am CDT

At 12:01 am on Wednesday morning, the NBA free agency negotiation period began. However, actual signings of these free agents cannot take place until a week from now. For the unrestricted free agents, they are free to join any team they choose. For the restricted free agents, their current teams will have a 15-day period to decide whether or not to match an offer from another team. These deals often correlate with sign-and-trades, which see the restricted free agent sign with his current team and then immediately traded to the team in pursuit. In this piece, we'll look at some of the relevant tidbits of the top free agent forwards and centers. To see my review of the guards, click here.

Unrestricted Small Forward
Ron Artest - Artest had a strong season in Houston, but the market for him always seems to be tight. Rick Adelman enjoys having him on his squad, so expect Houston to pursue him. However, with no Yao Ming, he may prefer playing with a better cast of players (he has gone on record saying he wants to stay in Houston even without Yao). Portland and Toronto could also be players here.

Hedo Turkoglu - With Vince Carter landing in Orlando, Turkoglu is likely on his way out of town. Expect the bidding to come down to Portland and Toronto, although Atlanta and Detroit may be in the mix as well.

Shawn Marion - Marion's production took a big hit after he left Phoenix. He virtually quit shooting three-pointers and gave inconsistent effort. Don't expect him back in Toronto.

Trevor Ariza - Ariza's value skyrocketed during this season's run to the championship and his versatility and youth (24) makes him attractive to many teams. The Lakers value him and they probably won't let him get away.

Marquis Daniels - The Pacers did not pick up Daniels' $7.5 million option, and his next contract could take a hit given the strength of the market on the wing. However, in 43 starts last season he averaged 15.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. He can also play shooting guard.

Wally Szczerbiak - The 32-year-old marksman still holds some value, but he will probably come on the cheap. Look for him to try and latch on with a contender like the Cavs, Spurs, or Celtics.

Gerald Green - The Mavericks gambled on Green last season, but he never carved out a role with the team. Amazingly he averaged 5.2 points in only 9.9 minutes per game. The Houston native is just 23 and still has enough game to one day make an impact.

Restricted Small Forward
Marvin Williams - Williams has not lived up to his No. 2 overall selection, but he is still just 23 years old. He has a lot of value, but it's still based on his potential. He will not likely field an offer too big for the Hawks to match.

Josh Childress - Childress played in Europe last season, but injuries prohibited him from being very effective. The Hawks still own his restricted free agent rights, but it seems unlikely that Childress will find any more money in the NBA than he stands to get paid in Greece.

Jamario Moon - The Heat made a qualifying offer to Moon, which was a mild surprise given how many small forwards they have on the roster. If he is offered more, the Heat may let him walk. Teams that seek him out will do so for his defensive reputation.

Linas Kleiza - Kleiza took a step backwards last season as J.R. Smith emerged as the dominant sixth man in Denver. He is a very good role player, but would probably like a chance to start.

Unrestricted Power Forward

Lee and Odom are among the top free agents this summer.
Lamar Odom - The versatile forward took a sixth-man role last year and helped pave the way for another Lakers championship. The team will try to retain him, but the Spurs and Suns are also said to have interest. Odom has said before that he could not imagine playing in a city without a beach.

Charlie Villanueva - Surprisingly, the Bucks did not tender Villanueva an offer. The Cavs and Pistons are said to be very interested in the 6-foot-10 forward who averaged 17.7 points and 7.3 rebounds in 47 starts with Milwaukee last season.

Anderson Varejao - The Brazilian opted out of his final year with the Cavs, but he could be back in Cleveland next season as the full-time starter. The Cavs would like to get more offense out of this position, though. In 41 starts last season he averaged 10.1 points and 7.8 rebounds. He can also play center.

Drew Gooden - Gooden has played on four different teams in the past two seasons, and he saw limited action in 20-plus games with the Spurs to end last season. He is a legit double-double threat who is just 27 years old.

Antonio McDyess - Expect Detroit to make an offer for McDyess, but he may bolt for a better team. He averaged 9.6 points and 9.8 boards at 34 years old last season. He has a lot of experience playing center as well.

Joe Smith - Smith's leadership and professionalism are always coveted by teams, but his production has been waning. The Hornets are among those interested in his services.

Ike Diogu - Diogu has rarely got a chance to log many minutes, but in the Kings final two games last year he put up 60 points and 24 rebounds. The 25-year-old should make an excellent find at a cheap price.

Chris Wilcox - Somehow Wilcox never fit in with the Knicks last season. He's just 26 and still has scoring ability in the post. He could be a very solid role player in the right situation.

Channing Frye - Portland did not extend a qualifying offer to the 6-foot-11 Frye. After and impressive rookie season with the Knicks, his numbers have regressed each campaign.

Sean May - The 2005 lottery pick has been limited by knee and weight issues in his four seasons and as a result he has played a mere 82 games. He may be done.

Restricted Power Forward
David Lee - Lee may be the best player in a sparse market this summer, and he'll more than likely field a contract offer that the Knicks are unwilling to match. The league's leader in double-doubles is said to have already narrowed his choices down to Memphis and Oklahoma City.

Paul Millsap - The 24-year-old former second round pick emerged as a force last season while Carlos Boozer battled injuries. In 38 starts he averaged 16 points and 10.3 rebounds. Boozer and Okur both opted to stay in Utah, which makes Millsap a little more available. Still, the Jazz were the first to make an offer to Millsap in free agency.

Glen Davis - Big Baby came up huge for the Celtics in the playoffs when Kevin Garnett and Leon Powe went down. He averaged 15.8 points through 14 games, and the Celtics want him back to provide depth for their deteriorating frontcourt.

Hakim Warrick - This lanky power forward never saw starter's minutes in Memphis despite being the best player at this position on the team. He has averaged double-digit scoring in limited minutes over the past three seasons, and would probably like to land somewhere that he would be more appreciated.

Unrestricted Centers
Rasheed Wallace - Wallace has said that he is ready to leave Detroit, but that was before Michael Curry was fired. The Spurs and the Celtics, among other contenders, are said to be seeking his post presence, but he would have to accept the mid-level exception (about $5 million) to join one of these contenders.

Zaza Pachulia - Pachulia has carved out a name for himself in the NBA, mostly as a tenacious defender. He has started 161 games in his six year career. Given the lack of available centers on the market, expect Pachulia to cash in.

Chris Anderson - The Bird Man came out of nowhere last season and finished second in the league with 2.5 blocked shots per game, despite logging just 20.6 minutes per appearance. He turns 31 this week, but will be fought over due to his ability to draw in the fans. He could reach a quick agreement to remain in Denver.

Rasho Nesterovic, Theo Ratliff, Mikki Moore, Johan Petro, Jamaal Magloire, Sean Marks, Adonal Foyle - Centers are always in demand, and these guys will find their ways onto rosters this summer. Expect Magloire and Foyle to remain with their teams in Florida.

Restricted Centers
Marcin Gortat - The Polish Hammer is already being heavily recruited by the Rockets. As a backup to Dwight Howard, he rarely saw playing time, but he was effective when he did. He averaged a double-double in four starts last season, while providing very good defense.

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