It all comes down to this.  LeBron James is the final piece to fall into place of all the major players in this year’s free agent class.  He’s been gearing up for this and hearing about it from Worldwide Wes, his mother, his friends, his teammates, the media — perhaps even Barack Obama has placed a call with the King– for the last 8 years of his life. LeBron has started this rumor avalanche based on his accepted courting from New York, Chicago, New Jersey, Los Angeles’ Minor League Franchise, Miami and of course Cleveland. He’s flirted with all of them, listened to what riches each could lavish him with, and even found time to talk hoops with some. This circus will come to a close on ESPN as Bron’s entourage has orchestrated a documentary-style reveal with “The Decision” to air at 9pm on Thursday night.  Clearly, there are persistent rumors that he’ll sign with Miami. Other signs speak to the fact that, with his announcement coming from Connecticut, it makes sense that he’ll say New York or New Jersey because of that.  What seems most obvious, however, is that LeBron will be getting a new zip code.  Everything seems to say that Cleveland isn’t the answer. He refused to meet with Tom Izzo, rumored to be a coaching candidate prior to Byron Scott’s hiring. He’s spread word that he doesn’t believe the roster is capable. Mike Brown is gone. Danny Ferry is gone.  He’s the biggest brand in basketball, sure.  But until he wins the rings, he’ll never be the greatest.  While he’s the great possessor of other-worldly talent, he’s still not Kobe.  And he’s certainly not Jordan.  To reach that echelon, he’ll have to secure himself between 4-5 rings. And to do that, he’s got to leave Cleveland.  But that begs the question: Where is the best place for Bron to win? Well, that’s what we’re trying to answer by speculating on what would life be like if LeBron decided to…

1) …sign with The New York Knicks.

This is my preferred scenario as an individual raised on Knicks ball of the late eighties and nineties. By joining already-committed Amar’e Stoudemire and young Nowitzki clone, Danilo Gallinari as the core of a team on the re-build, the Knicks instantly become a 1-4 seed in the East. This is LeBron’s chance at true legend status. There’s financial flexibility and the ability to tailor the roster around D’Antoni-style ballers, and LeBron-preferred teammates. The city of New York is built on superstardom status, larger than life figures and phenomenal expectations for greatness.  There is no other option.  Winning is the only path.  That’s what has made the last decade of futility, utter base failure, so gut-wrenching. They haven’t won a title since 1973, which is a long time.  But the fact that they haven’t been competitive for a decade feels so much longer. For his opportunity to become the unequivocal premier athlete, the choice is clear.  Get in a New York state of mind.

2)…move to South Beach with Dwyane and Chris B.

The easy way out.  This is the worst idea of all. If he does this, he’ll go down as a player who couldn’t win on his own and needed the help of two other All-Stars to succeed.  Instantly, that makes him the second best player of his draft class, the second best of his era, and keeps him from the pantheon of greatness where Jordan, Russell, Magic, Kareem reside, and possibly where Kobe and Shaq may call home when it’s all said and done. Furthermore, this centralizes the power in the Eastern Conference to basically two teams, both of which call Florida home.  With a roster filled out by washed-ups, has-beens or never-was’es, the three amigos would have to log major, major city miles on their tires this year. We’re talking 82-100 games of 35+ minutes if they want to have a shot at a favorable road to the big one.  I hate this option.  Hate it.  If he does this, and goes on TV to do it no less, he’s the worst kind of self-obsessed, heartless jerk who kills a franchise, nay, city, in front of millions of onlookers.  Terrible.

3)…kick the swarm of buzzing voices to the curb, man up, and stay in Cleveland.

If he really wanted to “man up,” he’d sign a three-year deal and see what they can do to help him get back to the Finals like 2007. I don’t see this happening, so there’s no point in discussing too much.  I just wish this whole thing went down differently.  To go on national TV to embarrass a whole city is pretty low.  Everyone in the NBA (with the exception of guys like Eddy Curry and Vince Carter) want to win at all costs.  But going out and ditching your home by declaring on national TV that they’re not good enough.. ice cold.

Fantasy Impact: Look, LeBron is LeBron.  He’ll still get his points no matter where he goes. The main thing to consider is how much better he’ll make the team around him.  That’s where we’ll see the real impact.  If he joins Amar’e in New York or if he stays home with Mo Williams and Antawn Jamison, or if he goes to the Bulls to team up with Rose, Noah and Boozer, that’s where we’ll see the changes — in those secondary players.  Don’t worry about LeBron. He’ll be fine.  Anyone with the ego and pomposity to air a 60-minute special about a decision will find a way to get by.

In just a few short hours, the free agent frenzy will begin. This installment of our look at what the marquee names may or may not do will focus on power forward Chris Bosh, who will be looking to stamp his passport for the final time as he leaves Canada for good. One thing I find interesting is that Chris Bosh has been quoted as saying he wants to continue to be the alpha-dog wherever he goes. The Texas native is a relatively low-key personality who thrived as a player in the small market of Toronto. But for someone who seems so vanilla, who wants to be brash, isn’t it interesting that almost every scenario has him following one of the “real” leaders, BronBron or Wade? So we’ll assume Bosh is gone, and we’ll assume that he’s coming back stateside for a big payday. Shall we also assume he’s only going to play with one of his bros who are considered two of the best 3-4 players in the NBA? Well, what if Chris Bosh decided to…

1) …sign with Chicago.

The Bulls have spent the last two weeks doing everything they can to free up as much salary cap space as possible and last week made a major move sending first-round pick and token Frenchman, Kevin Seraphin to the Wizards along with Kirk Hinrich for a secound-round pick.  This cleared some much needed space for the team, and if Jerry Reinsdorf, John Paxon and new coach Tom Thibodeau play their cards right, it could wind up netting them major dividends.  Bosh could be the first piece to the puzzle in Chicago.  One of the dominoes has to fall first and something tells me it won’t be LeBron.  I think he’ll wait to see where Wade goes, where Amar’e goes, and if Pierce and Dirk re-sign as expected.  You know teams who have a shot at him want to wait, but what if they can’t? This is a year in which, for the fans’ sake, you CANNOT whiff. If the Bulls commit to Bosh first, it enables them to take that information to the remaining free agents as a sales pitch.  It’d be hard to argue with a core of Bosh, Rookie of The Year Derrick Rose, cusp-star Joakim Noah and solid support from Luol Deng and Taj Gibson. This would make Bosh option 1A to Rose’s 1, since Rose thrives with the ball in his hands as a creator. But I’d expect big numbers from Bosh in this scenario, multiple All-Star game appearances, and consistent runs in the playoffs.

2)…offer to accept a sign-and-trade with the Lakers for Andrew Bynum and Ron Artest.

Some think it’d be crazy to trade pieces of a championship team away for a guy who has never played in a meaningful playoff game in his life. But I’d argue that you’re trading crazy pieces (Ron Artest) and an injured, underachieving-but-still-quite-young true center (Bynum) for a guy in Bosh who, at 25, is just reaching his prime after averaging 24 and 10 for his Toronto Raptors. For Toronto, this makes a ton of sense because they’re losing Bosh anyway so why not try and get something back beyond a trade exception? With Artest and Bynum alongside the likes of Andrea Bargnani, Hedo Turkoglu and Jose Calderon, you’d have a nice lineup on the floor and some good depth for the brand of basketball Bryan Colangelo loves to build his teams around.  For the Lakers, it’s easy.  With a front line of Pau, Bosh and Odom alongside Kobe, that’s just rude.  I don’t need to tell you much more than the idea of adding an all-star to a team that’s been to the Finals for three years in a row, winning twice, is making quite a few Southern Californians develop wood.

3)…sign in Miami to play with Dwyane Wade (and possibly LeBron!?!).

As we’ve discussed, Wade continues to say he wants to stay in Miami, and all signs point to that likely happening.  James and Bosh continue to be rumored to be a packaged deal, and if they’ve really sorted it all out and plan to play together… cripes. From what I understand about the salary cap, which should be around $55-56 million, the Heat will have to find a taker for Michael Beasley, and word is that Toronto doesn’t want him. That means a third team has to enter the fray, and determining how they benefit will be tricky.  Yes, Beasley has one year and $2mm left, but he’s a tough sell.  He dogs it, has been a locker room headache, and a lot of the coaches don’t appreciate his attitude. As far as getting Bosh, that’s a no brainer.  The Heat have just four guys on the roster if you include Jermaine O’Neal’s rights, which they’d certainly renounce if Bosh was coming to South Beach.  If Bosh and Wade take the plunge together and Bosh breaks out his white linen suit, the Heat will be on the rebound again and looking to make major waves in the playoffs.

Fantasy Impact: Bosh, for all his bluster, is not a superstar.  He’ll be paid like one this summer, but I don’t believe he’s got what it takes to be the man on a big stage.  He’s seemingly hitched his wagon to the alphas in this crop and as such, I expect his product to dip slightly next season.  He’ll be a solid 19-21 point and 8-9 rebound guy for you, but just keep a look out because the offense will no longer be run through him on the post. I’d expect Bosh to be a solid second or third round selection in most leagues.  Staying in the East would allow him to continue making the All-Star team due to the dearth of big men, too.  My gut feeling is that Bosh and Wade end up going somewhere together, and I think that somewhere will be Chicago.

So long, desert. Hello, Ernie Johnson.

Steve Kerr says he won’t return as general manager of the Phoenix Suns despite building a team that made a surprising run to the Western Conference finals.

Kerr told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the decision was solely his and not the result of any disagreements with owner Robert Sarver. He said he is “exploring a couple of possibilities” to return to television work.

A source, however, told ESPN The Magazine’s Ric Bucher that the move has to do with Kerr feeling unable to adequately do the job with the financial limitations imposed by Sarver. The Suns have both Amare Stoudemire and playoff sensation Channing Frye as potential free agents this summer.

Kerr’s contract will expire at the end of June. He had said he expected to work out a new deal with Sarver.

Sarver told The Arizona Republic that differences in contract negotiations played only a “small part,” if any at all, adding that an opportunity to return to television as an NBA commentator prompted Kerr to leave the organization after three years as its GM.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a big surprise,” Sarver told the newspaper. “Television is what he did before he came on board. It’s a change of plans from during the season. It boiled down to a number of things, including lifestyle and the opportunity. I was hoping to have him back.”

Kerr was a TNT color commentator for NBA telecasts for four years before Sarver hired him three years ago. His departure from the Suns first was reported by KTAR in Phoenix, the team’s flagship radio station.

Kerr starred at the University of Arizona and played in the NBA for 15 years. Known for his deadly long-range shooting, he was on five teams that won the championship.

Kerr’s departure comes at an important time for the Suns. The team is negotiating with Stoudemire, who can opt out of his contract on July 1, and is preparing for the June 24 draft.

Sarver told The Arizona Republic the Suns will conduct a search for Kerr’s replacement and consider in-house candidates. Sarver said Kerr will stay on board for the draft and keep his ownership stake in the team.

As we continue to look at the top NBA free agents this summer, we will now move on to one of the major names in this drama.  Joe Johnson of the Atlanta Hawks has now scored at least 21 points per game in the last 5 years and is still under 30 years old.  While he may not garner the attention that The King and D-Wade get, in most free agent classes Joe Johnson would be the headlining name.  Johnson’s name continues to surface in reports regarding the infamous “Free Agent Summit”, as he is close with Wade, James and Bosh.  Many people feel that Johnson will be a package deal with one of the bigger max contract free agents, but others see him as a consolation prize for missing out on James, Bosh or Wade.  Johnson seemed like a mortal lock for a max deal, and likely will still get that, but Atlanta’s miserable and lifeless playoff performance may have caused his stock to dip a bit.  Johnson will still have a lot of options, that much we know. Let’s take a look at some of the shooter’s potential landing spots if he decided to…

1) …sign with New York

Many New York Knicks’ fans are and have been dreading the potential of getting Joe Johnson this summer.  After their infatuation with the idea of James and Bosh, Joe Johnson does not have the same selling power.  The Knicks have a lot of holes, and Johnson will not be an instant savior like James is expected to be.  He will be a significant upgrade to the current squad and should be able to flourish in a new environment and back in Mike D’Antoni’s system.  Johnson was scoring close to 20/a game when he was the 3rd or 4th option on the Suns a few years back, and his familiarity as the unequivocal number one option could see his scoring rise back to the 24-26 point range.  For the Knicks to be able to get back into contention and be a perennial playoff squad, Johnson would likely need the help of another max, or close-to-max free agent.  Johnson and Bosh/Gay/Stoudemare would likely be a team in the 4-6 range of the playoffs during the tenure of the pair.  Unfortunately, as we have seen with his recent Hawks teams, it doesn’t look like having Joe Johnson as your main option will be anything more than a 2nd round playoff exit.  This may be the best option for fantasy fans because of the likelihood of Johnson getting 60% of the touches on offense, but likely not the one that ends with any New York titles.

2)…demand a sign-and-trade with Chicago for Luol Deng or Kirk Heinrich.

If these superstars are all really as interested in a title as they claim they are, then the one possibility for them to all collude and bring this to fruition, would be this scenario.  Assuming Chicago can lure LeBron, sign Bosh for less than the max, they would already be prohibitive favorites to win the NBA title.  The Bulls could expect Rose at the 1, James at the 3, Bosh at the 4 and Noah at the 5.  The lone position would be the 2 guard, where Joe Johnson could be the perfect compliment.  In order to make this deal, a sign an trade would have to be executed and it would have to revolve around Bulls F Luol Deng.  Deng is not the player that Johnson is, but if Joe does plan to leave the Hawks no matter what, this could at least give them a decent piece in return.  While he may not be willing to make the sacrifice to become the 4th option (6-9 shots/game) on the Bulls, if he were willing to join this squad, they would have a tremendous future together.  He’d give the Bulls extraordinary depth in their starting rotation and likely would be mismatched every time he laced up due to the attention that Rose, James and Bosh would draw.  His numbers would suffer, but he would have an expectation of 3-4 rings during his years in Chicago.

3)…sign in Miami to play with Dwyane Wade.

Wade continues to say he wants to stay in Miami, and all signs point to that likely happening.  James and Bosh continue to be rumored to be a packaged deal, and if this summit does occur, Joe Johnson may have few other options than pairing up with his buddy Wade.  Though the 2 essentially play the same position, Wade often handles the ball and this could allow Johnson to play on the wing and reap the benefits of Wade’s driving ability.  Wade has already won a title, takes all the big shots, knows how to win, and should be an attractive teammate to someone like Johnson.  Joe seems to have a difficult time carrying a squad when he is ‘the man’ and he may feel much more comfortable being Robin rather than Batman.  A Johnson-Wade duo could absolutely be a player in the Eastern Conference, but much of this depends where James/Bosh end up, and if they are together.  If James stays in Cleveland and Bosh with Toronto, this team would be fighting for the 2-3 seed in the East and could be a big man away from serious contention.  Johnson should see his scoring stay around the same 21 per game that he sees now, and possibly even more if they find a way to get some inside production.

Fantasy Impact: The bottom line is that Joe Johnson should expect a large pay day this summer, but unfortunately it will likely be once the big stars have picked their destinations.  Johnson can be a valuable number 2 or 3 option for a serious contender and may be forced to take a less than max deal, or he can look to be the best guy on a non-contender and get paid more.  Much of this is going to determine how the top shakes out and who is willing to pay a player who has showed he is not an Alpha Dog, or player capable of carrying a team of his back.

Suns forward Amare Stoudemire will opt out of the final year of his contract if he doesn’t re-sign with the team  before the deadline at the end of this month.

Stoudemire, speaking at his basketball camp Tuesday, said he deserves a maximum contract and would like it to be with Phoenix, where he has played since he was drafted out of high school in 2002. The All-Star power forward said there was “no chance” he would exercise the final year of his contract with the Suns, which would pay him about $17 million.

Phoenix could give him more than any other team — a six-year deal worth about $127 million.

“We’ve got the fans excited about basketball again,” Stoudemire said. “So what I don’t want is for me to have to leave and the fans are now not quite as excited about the game here. I want to keep the hype, want to keep the fans involved, want to keep everybody ecstatic about the Phoenix Suns.”

Stoudemire, who helped the Suns reach the Western Conference finals, can become a free agent on July 1 but indicated he would like to have things settled with the Suns before then.

Asked if he would be a Sun if he was offered a maximum deal, Stoudemire said, “There’s a very great chance of that.”

Stoudemire said his agent, Happy Walters, would meet soon with Suns owner Robert Sarver and general manager Steve Kerr.

“My agent is doing a good job of keeping the line of communication open with Steve Kerr and Robert,” Stoudemire said. “Those guys became great friends, so I’ll just sit back and let them handle it. Once it comes down to a bottom line, that’s when I step in.”

Sarver has said he doesn’t mind spending the cash as long as he gets his money’s worth. Whether that means a full deal for Stoudemire, perhaps a shorter-term contract or nothing at all remains to be seen.

Stoudemire averaged 23.1 points and 8.9 rebounds last season and was especially effective after the Suns decided against trading him at the All-Star break. He averaged 21.2 points in the playoffs but only 6.6 rebounds.

There is concern by some that Stoudemire eventually will need another operation on his left knee, after he missed virtually all the 2005-06 season following microfracture surgery. He also was sidelined the final months of the 2008-09 season after surgery for a detached retina.

Stoudemire, with career averages of 21.4 points and 8.9 rebounds, cited the success the team has had in his eight seasons in Phoenix.

“The most important factor of playing for an organization is to be able to be totally comfortable and give them 100 percent,” he said. “That’s what I’ve done my whole career, so it’s only right to look for a maximum contract. From the time that I was here we’ve done great. We’ve done great in the community, three Western Conference finals, we’ve been in the playoffs and won 60 games or so in several years.”

Stoudemire was confident there would be plenty of interest should be become a free agent. He mentioned the near-trade as evidence.

“Now there’s a chance to get me without giving up players,” he said. “I’m pretty sure there’s going to be a recruiting frenzy, but again it could not get to that point. You never know.”

Fantasy Impact: With Stoudemire being one of the clear-cut “Top 10″ Free Agents in the crop available this summer, assuming he opts-out, he’s sure to get a nice deal from some willing team.  He’s young, athletic, gifted on the court — he’s just shown that he has some bad luck (retina) and bad breaks (knee) staying healthy.  As a complementary piece, a team’s “B”, Stoudemire has proven he can thrive. Whether that’s next to Steve Nash in the desert, or alongside LeBron or Dwyane Wade in another destination remains to be seen.  Stay close, folks. It’s going to be a great summer.

Is Lee going to be a max contract player this summer, or just a backup plan?

In the third part of our series focusing on the top NBA Free Agents, we will take a look at New York Knicks’ budding star forward, David Lee.

David Lee was really able to come into his own in the 2010 season and managed to raise his stock from a middle level free agent prospect to now hearing his name mentioned  as a main participant in the 2010 free agent bonanza.  The hard nosed and athletic Lee will bring hustle, rebounding and tenacity to whatever team he decides to sign with, and could be looking at a potential max contract if other players decide to quickly re-sign with their own squads.  Lee stands to be one of the players to gain the largest financial windfall this summer, but could also be the piece that a strong team needs to put them over the edge.  Let’s take a look at some potential landing spots for David Lee and see how they will reverberate through out the NBA.

1)...stay with the Knicks.

Lee has been the lone bright spot for the Knicks and their fans over the last 4 years or so, and while many would love to hold on to him, most see him being to costly if they wish to pursue Lebron, Bosh or DWade.  If Lee stays in New York he can expect to be one of the top options on a team that will likely improve, but not contend.  Lee will continue to thrive in Mike D’Antoni’s system and continue to put up 20-10 numbers with the Knicks.  Lee can be a building block for the future if the Knicks can keep him around but not at a max deal, maybe sign Bosh, trade for Tony Parker and push their remaining assets to the 2011 free agent class and obtaining Melo.  Fantasy wise the Knicks would be the best place for Lee, as his numbers will likely continue to rise the more he grows in the team’s system, and he could benefit from facing weaker defenders if another high profile scorer joins his team.

2)…sign with Toronto.

With Chris Bosh all but gone from Toronto, the Raptors will have a serious hole in their front court that could allow Lee to move in perfectly.  This seems like a very good fit for David Lee, and I would go out on a limb and say this is the landing spot for him.  The Raptors are in that ‘no man’s land’ in the NBA where many teams have to make the decision to either push forward with their current roster and make the best of it, or strip it down and restart around a few big pieces.  The Raptors already have Bargnani and DeRozan in place as their young core players, however their signing of Hedo last off-season showed they are willing to spend money and try to win games.  Bosh leaving will open up the cap space for the Raptors and give them the ample opportunity to pursue Lee (over maybe Boozer) to plug the role that Bosh played for them.  Obviously Lee is a bit of a downgrade from Bosh, but he can keep them in the running for a playoff position next year.  Especially if the Raptors feel they are only one player away in the draft.  This can and I believe will, lead the Raptors to making a rush judgement on Lee and signing him to a close to max contract in order to stay relevant in the league.

3)…signs with the Jazz

Just as the Raptors may figure to be loser’s this summer in the ability to retain Chris Bosh, Utah may be in a similar position regarding Carlos Boozer.  While the Jazz seemed determined to re-sign Boozer, he is a total wild card when it comes to his intentions of singing somewhere.  As we all know, Boozer is infamous for making a commitment to the Cavs blind owner, Gordon Gund, in 2004 and backing out of it so that he could sign with Utah.  So while he may seem to be a Jazz right now, who the hell knows with this guy.  I think this is a good spot for Lee to thrive and a destination that could allow him to continue to score and rebound at a high rate, while adding his intangibles to a team with a winning tradition.  Lee has not had the opportunity of playing with a skilled point guard in the league, aside from Starbury (I’m kidding…relax), and this will help elevate his game further.  While Lee won’t be the top scoring option, and maybe not the second either, Deron Williams will be able to use him in pick and roll situations for easy baskets.  Lee is athletic and versatile enough to move around in the Jazz’ front line with Kirilenko and Okur.  He definitely brings a different dimension to the Jazz and with a savvy draft pick, they could end up not missing a beat out West.

Fantasy Impact: David Lee has the ability and upside to become very attractive to many teams this off-season.  I expect him to look for a place that can fit his style and pay him handsomely as well.  He looks to be the Plan B for a few teams right now if they lose out on the major free agents, but could end up being the one who reaps the most rewards.  He can continue to be a very productive fantasy player for years to come in the right situation, but can also become a high energy rebounder/defender for a championship squad.

We’re now 30 days away from what may go down as the single greatest free agency period in American Sports.  With news of a meeting of the minds in store, it’s now time for healthy rumors, speculation, innuendo, etc.  As always with these pieces, many times one move causes a ripple effect that reverberates throughout the league.  As we count down to the top tier of free agents, today we examine the potential options for Dirk Nowitzki and how his decision to stay or go will effect others both in the league and fantasy wise.

The 31-year old German import is at the precipice of what could be a major career changer.  This will likely be his last chance to “cash in” during his career, a career somewhat maligned as a big-time scorer but one who lacks that big game killer instinct.  If LeBron, Wade and Bosh are Tier 1, then Nowitzki has got to be 1A (along with Amare and Joe Johnson).  Couple any of the first three with any of the second three, and you’ve got yourself a perennial playoff powerhouse likely to be top-4 or better in the East, and top-5 or better in the West.  Dirk is coming off a very solid season in which he again averaged 23.0 points or better, the eighth such season in his 11-year career.  He’s proven to be a capable alpha-dog in the season, and has always been a tough, gritty player able to play through pain and routinely plays in more than 90% of his team’s games.  The question is, in the twilight of his career now with about 4-5 seasons left to perform at a high level, has Dirk grown tired of being “third-best in the West”?  Will he consider a move to Eastern Lite for a greater chance of getting through to the NBA Finals, the goal that’s eluded the Mavs since 2006’s collapse?  The Mavs have a couple of hard decisions to make this off season. And so we ask, what if he decides to…

1) …re-sign with Dallas.

This seems like a very logical decision for Dirk given his loyalty to Mark Cuban and the Dallas fans.  He seems to be a man of his word, and truth be told, he’s accomplished great things in D-town and will probably go down as the greatest European player ever to lace ‘em up (Sorry, Detlef). Erick Dampier’s contract will be coming off the books, and could certainly be used to acquire a 2-guard that the Mavs have sorely missed.  This is clearly the odds-on favorite in terms of scenarios due to the history with the franchise, and the fact that they can pay him the most money.  Mark Cuban’s willingness to go out and spend for upgrades is a nice thing as well.  We’ll see if this happens.  Remember: the only reason he opted out in the first place was because of the desire for long-term security, NOT because he’s upset with the franchise.  Though coming in second or worse each year has to take its toll, right?

2)…pack his bags for Chicago.

The Bulls are, as advertised, just a couple of pieces away from an extended period of highly, highly competitive-if-not-dominant basketball.  As the top of the East continues to age (Celtics mainly, supporting casts in Cleveland and Orlando), this could be a big off-season for the Bulls.  They need a new coach (former Mavs coach Avery Johnson?), and they have some money to spend on free agents.  Their first priority will likely be one of the top tier guys, but most basketball personnel guys agree that having a second guy on the team next to Rose who needs the ball in his hands to thrive is a mistake.  Enter Dirk Notwitzki.  He plays off the ball, moves well, sets screens, can post up smaller 3’s or draw out 4’s since he has three-point range.  This spacing would be key to the already potent pick-and-roll twosome of Rose and Joakim Noah.  A starting five that includes Dirk, Joakim, D-Rose and Luol Deng?  Man, that’s tasty.  I’d expect Dirk to assume alpha-dog role here, and average close to if not better than 24 ppg on roughly 11-14 shots a night.  Plus, we know he knows how to get to the line.  For my money, this may be the best scenario for Dirk, and for the team. I’m still quite certain the Bulls will make a push for Bron and Wade, but if they ended up with Dirk instead, that wouldn’t be bad either.

3) …become a turn-coat and sign with the Suns.

You could make a strong case that, after the run the team Steve Kerr’s (alright, and Alan Gentry, too) built put together to get to the Western Conference Finals, they’re almost there, just sniffing around the door but not yet able to get in. You might also say that jettisoning a 26-year old athletically gifted power forward in his prime (Amare Stoudamire)  in favor of a 31-year old who may or may not take them to the next level might be suspect.  But look, in the land of Arizona, and particularly in the mind of owner Robert Sarver, nothing makes sense.  Pairing Dirk with Steve Nash would be epic.  Ticket sales would go through the roof — those are two guys that EVERY fanbase would LOVE to root for.  Plus, I hadn’t realized that Bill Simmons posited this very idea earlier in the week. I’m not sure Dirk could stick with the pace the Suns run — he’s not the most fleet of foot — and we know how the Suns’ halfcourt offense experiment went, just ask Terry Porter. Emotionally, this would be the most satisfying ending of the bunch, particularly if the reunion led to a championship banner being hoisted in the desert.  But it’s very, very unlikely.

4) … talk with the Lakers about a sign-and-trade for Bynum and Odom.

There have been rumors throughout the year varying in degrees of severity of just how much flux the Lakers’ organization is in.  We know they’re committed to Kobe and Pau.  We know Phil Jackson is flirting with the idea of leaving due to his boss asking him (or not asking) to take a $7mm pay cut.  We know Ron Artest is straight-up crazy. And we also know that they begin their quest to become back-to-back champions with their third straight trip to the finals this Thursday.

Chris Bosh wants to play here, and you can understand why.  Who wouldn’t? The pedigree of talent, the glitz of Hollywood, the fans, the history! But it doesn’t make entirely too much sense, does it?  Immediately, he’d come in (assuming they’d have to part with Odom, Bynum or both) as the third option given the chemistry and trust between All-Galaxy Kobe and his Spanish compadre, Pau. Dirk would be the same, right?  On the flip side, would it make the Mavericks any better?  Tough to say.  If you’re getting back Odom and Bynum and can trade Dampier’s contract for a guy like Kevin Martin or Monta Ellis, that’s a nice starting five of Bynum, Odom, Butler, Ellis (I like him better) and Kidd with Beaubois as the back-up/heir and Jason Terry waiting on the bench to spell the backcourt.  Intriguing idea, huh?

Bottom line: I don’t see Dirk in L.A., but I’m trying to create a possible picture of what it could mean.  I would be willing to bet his forfeited $16 mm salary that he re-signs in Dallas with the assurance from Cuban that they’ll get him some help to put the team over that hump, and really challenge for a championship the next 2-3 years.

Fantasy Impact: We all know Dirk is absolutely one of the premier players in this free agent class who stands to benefit the most from 2010’s cash influx.  He may not be the franchise cornerstone a LeBron or Wade is because he’s roughly 6 years older and with a lot of miles, but if you’re asking him to join a core group, or a team with a bona fide star already in place, he could thrive again.  Expect north of 22 points, around 6-8 boards, and the occasional outpouring of assists for the German marksman.  He’ll again be a first or second round pick in most fantasy drafts in 2010.

If Amare follows LBJ, at least he won't have to worry about getting facialized like this.

Looking for offers they can’t refuse, another one of the big name guys wants in on the upcoming NBA free-agent superstar summit.

Amare Stoudamire, who is likely to opt out of the final year of his current contract with the Phoenix Suns believes he too will join LeBron, D-Wade, Chris Bosh and Joe Johnson at a round table discussion to talk future plans before free agency begins on July 1.

“I’m friends with LeBron, Dwyane, Chris [Bosh] — all those guys are friends of mine,” Stoudemire told AOL Fanhouse. “So I’m pretty sure they’ll call me and we’ll talk about a few things.”

Remember that Wade told the Chicago Tribune last week that he planned to talk with James and Johnson before making a decision on where he would sign this summer. Sources also confirmed that Chris Bosh will be a part of the discussions as well.  Stoudamire joins Bosh as the top two big men available, big men that both Bron and Wade would absolutely love to play with.

Wade said last week that he did not know yet when the players would talk. Wade’s agent, Henry Thomas, said last week that no formal sit-down sessions among the headliners of this summer’s class have been scheduled.

James, Wade and Bosh became close while playing together on the U.S. Olympic basketball team that won the gold medal at the Beijing Games. While they’ve pondered the possibility of playing together in the NBA, only two of the stars are likely to wind up on the same team once the dust settles.

As has been discussed a million times, The Knicks, Nets, Bulls and Heat are among the teams with enough cap room, or flexibility, to sign two marquee names.  We here at FSS still think the safe money is on Wade re-signing, Amare joining him in Miami; and Bron-Bron going to Chicago to join their core guys.  As a Knicks fan, I’m not ruling any level of disappointment out.

There it was on Facebook for all to see: the Washington Wizards telling the world they will draft consensus number 1 pick and hyped-the-most guard of 2010, John Wall, with the No. 1 pick.

Actually, it was just a Wizards employee getting carried away. More directly, it was a guy whose whole job is based around selling season ticket packages going rogue.

Myron Goodman made the posting Friday on a Facebook page for University of Kentucky alumni. It read: “I am a sales rep for the Washington Wizards. John Wall will be our choice as the [No. 1] overall pick in the June draft. If you want a great deal on tickets … email me.”

The posting was soon taken down. Wizards spokesman Scott Hall says it was “simply the case of an overzealous member of our sales staff acting on his own.” Myron, if it wasn’t Saturday, you’d win Fan of The Week from us.  Nice move.  I’ll give the man a 5 for creativity.

As the 2010 NBA Free Agent Bonanza begins to creep upon us, we already have speculation as to where the big time movers and shakers will end up.  As always with these pieces, many times one move causes a ripple effect that reverberates through out the league.  As we count down to the top tier of free agents, today we examine the potential options for Rudy Gay and how his decision will effect others both in the league and fantasy wise.

As the 24-year old forward looks to hit the free agent market, Rudy Gay stands to be one of the biggest winners in the 2010 free agent market.  At this point there is a plethora of teams who have put themselves in a position to go after Lebron, D Wade, Bosh, Amare, etc., but there are only a few teams who have the legitimate shot of making this happen.  If Lebron, Amare and D Wade all re-sign with their current squads, which is very possible, Rudy Gay could become one of the most coveted players in the market and become a max contract player.  At the young age of 24, the 6′8″ Gay is an athletic wingman who has shown flashes of brilliance at times, and a tremendous ceiling.  Unfortunately he was still the second or third option for a much improved, but non playoff team and may not be the player many desperate cities have been waiting for.  Let’s take a look at some of Rudy’s potential landing spots and how his decisions may effect his game next year.

1) …re-sign with Memphis.

This seems like a very logical decision for Rudy in a non-monetary sense.  The Grizzlies turned a lot of heads last year and had a legitimate run towards the playoffs with a young and athletic core.  Gay would stay in a system in which he is not the star, he can play with 2 solid big men in Gasol lite and Z-Bo, and not be forced to take the big shots.  I would expect the Grizz to look to sign a few key veteran contributors to add to the bench, add a lottery pick into the rotation and be a playoff team next year.  Gay would likely stay in the 19-21 ppg range and I would expect the Grizz to crack through and make the playoffs next year.

2)…get acquainted with The Big Apple.

This is what many Knicks fans call their ‘nightmare scenario’ (maybe a bit dramatic to say nightmare, given the state of the Isiah-era teams of the last 4 years, no?), and this scenario looks more and more plausible as the rumors about LeBron’s possible departure swirl.  Unfortunately for Knickerbocker fans, there looks to be a very real chance that all of their preening for the 2010 free agent class may lead them to second or third tier options as max contracts, such as Gay and Joe Johnson or keeping David Lee.  In addition to likely causing multiple suicides throughout the New York metro area, Gay would immediately be fighting an uphill battle.  The issue with this is that the Knicks may be the only team willing to give the max contract if Rudy is on the market and there is no LeBron, Wade or Bosh to fight over.  I see this one endly badly for Rudy if he does follow the money.  At UConn, Gay was clearly the best player on a stacked team, but always seemed to shy away from the big moments and spotlight.  In New York, not only would he likely be seen as the top player and Alpha Dog, the pressure of New York and the animosity of many angry and impatient fans will be directed towards Rudy whether he deserves it or not.  I could see the Knicks sniffing the playoffs or sneaking in if Rudy is paired with Amare or Joe Johnson, but not if it is him and David Lee.

3) …commit to the Brooklyn-bound franchise in New Jersey.

As stated with the Knicks, Gay may be a contingency plan for the Nets if they fail to get in on the LeBron-stakes or whiff on another top free agent.  The difference between the Knicks and Nets is, oddly enough, that the Nets will have a more enticing young nucleus for Gay to join.  A healthy Devin Harris, Brook Lopez and potentially John Wall or Evan Turner will give the Nets a place for Rudy to go without having to be ‘the man’ and a solid foundation.  I could see Gay helping the Nets grab a playoff berth in two years and be a potentially dangerous player in the East for the future if Wall turns out to be what people expect him to be.

4) … just sign with a contender for less money than he’d get elsewhere.

I am including multiple teams in this equation, as I feel that Gay has a lot of value to the better teams in the league.  If Rudy Gay becomes a team’s third or fourth best player on a team with one true Alpha Dog already calling the shots, I feel that he is a potential championship piece. A clearly gifted scorer, Gay has the length and quickness to be able to score at will on lesser defenders and turn himself into a potential lock down defender.  If Gay is really focused on a title he can go to Chicago (assuming Lebron goes), Dallas or San Antonio (via a sign and trade).  In any of these places, Gay will be a nightmare matchup for most teams who can’t afford to leave other players such as LeBron, D. Rose or Dirk open.  Playing on any of these teams will be a wise career move if he is looking to win, but likely not for his personal stats, his bank account or his fantasy standing.

Fantasy Impact: Gay is absolutely one of the premier players in this free agent class who stands to benefit the most from 2010’s relative financial abundance.  He won’t sign with any team until after the top-tier players have straightened out their situations, or until teams know whether their infatuation/courting of  Lebron and D-Wade can become a full-blown marriage. Gay could prove to be a very solid fantasy option next year, so keep your eye on where he ends up (re-) signing.  Even in Memphis, he’s got the makings of a very solid scoring forward.