Dwyane Wade and Joe Johnson headline a talented class of free agent shooting guards. The fun begins when the clock strikes midnight on Thursday. That is when teams can officialliy begin neogtiating with free agents. The Sports Bank will have it all covered. You can check out our point guard rankings and off-season team needs pages to get ready for what will undoubtedly be a crazy summer.
By: David Kay
1. Dwyane Wade, Heat (PO)
All indications point towards the former Marquette All-American returning to South Beach. That all hinges on who Miami is able to bring with him. Since it appears LeBron and Bosh are heading to Chicago, the Heat will need to land Amare Stoudemire or Carlos Boozer. If not, Wade could bolt Miami since he would once again not have much of a supporting cast around him.
Predicted Contract: Max value (6 years, $125 if he re-signs. 5 years, $95 if he signs elsewhere.)
Possible Destinations: MIA, NY, NJ
2. Joe Johnson, Hawks (UFA)
After an embarrassing end to the Hawks’ post-season, it appears imminent that their All-Star two guard will be fleeing the nest this off-season. Recent reports have stated that the Knicks will be targeting Johnson since they believe LeBron and Bosh are already “a done deal” to go to Chicago. The Nets are also a possibility since they need a scorer on the wing now that they draft Derrick Favors to pair with Brook Lopez up-front. Another question is whether or not Johnson is worth a max contract. He will more than likely receive that offer from one of the teams with a ton of cap space, but may not be worth it.
Predicted Contract: 5 years, $95 million
Possible Destinations: NY, NJ, CHI, ATL, LAC
3. Ray Allen, Celtics (UFA)
This post-season, Allen proved he still has some gas left in his tank. With the Celtics making it to the NBA Finals, the chances of him returning to Boston have increased. However, some team with a ton of cap space who misses out on LeBron, Wade, or Johnson could throw a ton of money at Allen as a plan D. I think Allen will want to play for a contender this late in his career and will be hesitant in signing with a franchise under-going a facelift.
Predicted Contract: 3 years, $36 million
Possible Destinations: BOS, CHI, MIA, NY
4. John Salmons, Bucks (ETO)
After a terrific stretch run with the Bucks, Salmons hinted that he will likely terminate the final year of his contract that would pay him $5.8 million and become a free agent. He could benefit from one of the teams who fail to land one of the marquee free agents as they might turn to panic mode and overpay for his services. I would expect the Bucks to try and re-sign him as Michael Redd is in the final year of his deal and might not be ready at the start of the season due as he rehabs from a torn ACL.
Predicted Contract: 4 years, $30 million
Possible Destinations: MIL, SAC, MIN, NJ, NY, MIA
Check out the rest of the shooting guard rankings.