Free Agent Battle Lines Being Drawn

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<p class="storytext">The Cavaliers have been deeply mired in restricted free agency muck for months now, dealing with standoffs, stalemates and holdouts as other teams watch closely at how it plays out.</p>
<p class="storytext">Why? Because it'll be their turn soon.</p>
<p class="storytext">Players and management not agreeing on salary is hardly new territory, but restricted free agency changes the situation because the balance of power is in the team's favor because it can match offers. It often scares bidders away and keeps the price down. Now, the stage is being set for a potential litany of restricted free-agency nightmares across the league.</p>
<p class="storytext">Wednesday was the deadline for members of the draft class of 2004 to sign extensions to their contracts and avoid restricted free agency next summer. But there weren't too many accords to talk about.</p>
<p class="storytext">Only five players from that class were able to reach new deals with their teams, and a group of developing stars weren't, which is going to make next summer very, very interesting.</p>
<p class="storytext">A year ago, 15 members of the highly touted 2003 class signed extensions before the Halloween deadline. Even still, there were three bitter restricted free agents who didn't, and they made headlines all summer.</p>
<p class="storytext">Darko Milicic and his agent ripped the Orlando Magic for their treatment of his restricted status before leaving for the Memphis Grizzlies in July. Mickael Pietrus threatened to play in Europe and missed the start of Golden State Warriors training camp before taking a one-year qualifying offer. Then there is Sasha Pavlovic, who has yet to be in a Cavs uniform after holding out for a month.</p>
<p class="storytext">So start thinking about next year. Ben Gordon and Luol Deng each reportedly turned down $10 million-a-year offers from the Chicago Bulls last week. And who can blame Deng &mdash; if you believe everything you hear, the Bulls have made him off limits in trade talks for Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant over the past few months. How could he not demand a maximum contract with that speculation?</p>
<p class="storytext">Meanwhile, former Rookie of the Year Emeka Okafor supposedly denied a $13 million-per-season offer from the Charlotte Bobcats. The Philadelphia 76ers dumped Allen Iverson and Chris Webber to build around Andre Iguodala, but couldn't get him to agree to a new deal last week. At the moment, the 76ers are going to be the one team with lots of salary-cap space next summer, but they might be limited in how they can use it until dealing with Iguodala.</p>
<p class="storytext">Rising star Josh Smith didn't come to terms with the Atlanta Hawks. And Andris Biedrins, one of the most desired and athletic young big men in the league, has no new deal with the Warriors.</p>
<p class="storytext">When examining the Cavs'
situations with Pavlovic and Anderson Varejao, there has been much discussion about how the NBA is in a bit of a belt-tightening mode. With so many teams up against the luxury tax line and the forecast showing that will continue for the next year, contracts during the past two summers have been shorter and smaller with few teams devoting their mid-level exception to one player.</p>
<p class="storytext">That promises to continue next summer, especially when the flood of restricted free agents hits a market where maybe only two or three teams will have cap space to bid. The other alternative, sign-and-trades, has become difficult to pull off. It might very well dry up competition and drive down players' value, which only could lead to more angry stalemates and potentially more players following the once forgotten path of holding out.</p>
<p class="storytext">Already, there is a fundamental disagreement over the current market. Guard Kevin Martin signed a five-year, $55 million extension with the Sacramento Kings during the summer. Players like Gordon and Deng thought that it set the bar for them, but the Bulls offered both less, because some in the league think that Martin is being overpaid.</p>
<p class="storytext">Several league executives raised their eyebrows this week when another member of the class of 2004, guard Jameer Nelson, signed a new deal with the Magic. It's worth $7.6 million per season with no annual raises, $38 million over five years, an oddly structured deal that some already are calling an overpay, too.</div></p>
<p class="storytext">Source: Akron Beacon Journal</p>