Free Agent Options This Summer

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">CHARLOTTE ? When the Charlotte Bobcats play host to the Atlanta Hawks tonight at 7, they won?t face budding superstar forward Joe Johnson.

Johnson, who was the Hawks? biggest splash in the free agent market in years two summers ago, may be out for the season with a severe calf injury. But the Bobcats hope they can find a player like Johnson this summer when they will have the opportunity to control the free agent market.

All-Stars like Vince Carter, Antawn Jamison, Jerry Stackhouse and Chauncey Billups could be available. So could veterans like Michael Olowokandi, Eddie Jones, Joe Smith, Earl Boykins, Bo Outlaw, Jamaal Magloire, Jalen Rose and Gastonia?s Darrell Armstrong.

But there are also opportunities to invest in potential stars like Morris Peterson, Anderson Varejao, James Posey, Keyon Dooling, Luke Walton, Bonzi Wells or Desmond Mason.

The Hawks? decision to sign Johnson shows the cautionary nature of pursuing other teams? free agents.

To get Johnson, the Hawks had to make a sign-and-trade deal with the Phoenix Suns. While Atlanta got Johnson, paying him $70 million over five years, the Hawks had to give up Boris Diaw and two future first-round draft picks. Former Atlanta minority owner Steve Belkin thought the price was too steep and he was bought out of his 30 percent ownership after publicly disagreeing with his ownership colleagues.

If you listen to Michael Jordan, a Bobcats minority owner and the managing member of basketball operations, there will be no such dissension in Charlotte over whatever path the team takes this summer and beyond.

Still, as Jordan is quick to acknowledge, the Bobcats don?t want to pursue the wrong free agent or make a devastating financial decision in their haste to get a talented player.</div>

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