FanHouse StromileSwift

Free-agent time should be like Christmas for these under-30 former first-round picks. If they had played better, stayed healthy or fulfilled their potential, they would be cashing in on new contracts or contract extensions. Instead they are fighting for their NBA lives, afterthoughts in free-agent time, hoping to find one interested team for another opportunity to stay in the league.

The alternative might be Europe or perhaps even the NBDL. With each NBA team holding on tight to free-agent dollars because of the economy and the 2010 free-agent class, contracts -- especially lucrative ones -- will be difficult to procure. So while names such as Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva, Trevor Ariza and Hedo Turkoglu will fill the offseason newswires, these 10 players will be searching for work in virtual obscurity.

Here is the list and their stories:

I have some bad news for all the Bulls fans eager to see Larry Hughes switch uniforms: the Nets do in fact have some interest in Hughes, but only as a fallback plan. Who are the Nets really going after? Mike Miller, a pretty useful player who's been buried in mediocrity since being traded to the Timberwolves this summer.

Dave D'Alessandro of the Star-Ledger spoke with an "NBA general manager familiar with the discussions" who confirmed the news, saying the Nets have been pursuing the deal since the start of the week. So far the Wolves aren't biting, reportedly holding for a draft pick and a young player; all New Jersey wants to give up is salary cap relief.

With the ton-of-bricks trade of Pau Gasol to the Lakers and the somewhat lesser ecstasy of Stromile Swift for Jason Collins, Memphis finds itself in glorious position to make a bombastic splash this summer, about $15 million under the salary cap. There is the distinct possibility Michael Heisley orders his front office to sit this one out, but let's assume Chris Wallace can spend some dollars. Who're the targets?

Luol Deng. Deng's a top restricted free agent. Things aren't going well in Chicago. Memphis had pursued Deng in previous Gasol negotiations. Rudy Gay plays a similar position as Lu, though at this point Gay is oriented more to the perimeter while Deng operates from midrange in. In three years, that tandem could be the best swing pair in the league. Deng should cost about $60 million for five years, and the Bulls might match that high.

Shawn Marion. Will Marion opt out this summer? His player option is for $17 million (he'll get nowhere near that on the market), and Phoenix would likely still be in heavy contention for a title. But this guy requested a trade last September. His sudden free agency would shock few. Marc Iavaroni has a history with him and is trying to install a Phoenix-like system in Memphis. He'd be a monster next to Gay, but the team's offensive success would rely on Mike Conley growing up awful quick. At age 30, it makes Memphis an unlikely suitor... but there are enough signals and promise to presume something like five years and $75 million wouldn't be wholly insane. Marion's that good.

Gilbert Arenas or Elton Brand. The two opt-out fellows everyone's been paying attention to. Arenas is more likely to opt out; Brand is more likely to leave town. In other words, there isn't a scenario in which Washington refuses to give Gil a maximum contract; on the other end, we can never know what Donald Sterling will do. It wouldn't be a surprise if Memphis traded Gasol with these two fellows firmly in mind.

Other possibilities: Emeka Okafor, Ben Gordon, Josh Smith, Andre Iguodala (all restricted). Also, don't forget cap space helps in the trade game, too.

He's already served a one-game suspension for arguing with Marc Iavaroni, but it seems Stromile Swift is still in the Grizzlies' dog house. From Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal:

The on-again, off-again flirtation with potential trades involving Swift were on again Wednesday, although totally unrelated to the recent disciplinary action against the forward/center.

Memphis was considering at least two proposals, although no deal appeared imminent.

Maybe the re-vamped efforts aren't directly tied to Swift's suspension, but let's face it, if the team liked his attitude they probably wouldn't be shopping him around the league.

Tillery said it wasn't known which teams were interested but added that the Nets had offered to swap Jamaal Magliore earlier in the year. If the Nets are still interested, I'd expect them to sit tight until the Jason Kidd situation is settled lest they accidentally give up an asset that could help facilitate moving their disgruntled point guard.

If it's good enough for Zaza Pachulia, it's good enough for Stromile Swift. Stro was suspended by the Grizzlies for "conduct detrimental to the team," which the Memphis Commercial-Appeal's Ronald Tillery connects to a shouting match between dude and coach Marc Iavaroni in Monday night's game (hat-tip: 3 Shades).

Swift stood and leaned over Iavaroni, apparently trying to make his point during the disagreement. Assistant coach Johnny Davis eventually intervened before Swift strolled to the end of the bench.

A new, first-time head coach can't have that sort of thing brewing, especially on a young team. But how much blame does Stro deserve? Who knows; this team has not exactly been bubbling with good feelings. Is there some resistance to Iavaroni's ways in the locker room?

(This is the point where we all just wait with baited breath for Kelly Dwyer's next Shocking Dialogue.)

It's not quite 'mob infiltrating the referees' level news, but allow me to again present the victimization of an NBA player: a Louisiana man robbed Grizzly Stromile Swift white-collar style.

Shreveport's KTBS News reports 60-year-old Johnnie Nichols stole $2,125 from Stro and his mom by stealing three checks and forging the Swifts' respective signatures.

It sounds like the sort of crime which happens nearly randomly in today's America (though someone looking for two grand via my account wouldn't get far). But given Stro's public presence in his hometown of Shreveport, it shows just how targeted these NBA stars are by ne'er-do-wells. (See also: Iverson, Allen.)