Who's Got Next is a weekly look at some of the top players widely available on the waiver wires.
The injuries are starting to kick in, so now we have to start looking at players who are getting more burn in the absence of the fallen few. I wrote earlier about the injuries to Kevin Martin and Tyrus Thomas.
The obvious front-runner in Sacramento is Beno Udrih who is now the starting point guard for the Kings. Tyreke Evans will also see an uptick in value, but it's less likely that he's still available in your league.
In Chicago it'll be Taj Gibson's role to step in and replace Tyrus Thomas at the power forward. Gibson dones't have the upside or the dfensive powress that Thomas does, but he should make for a nice short-term add. Is he Paul Millsap? Probably not. But when the opportunities are there, you have to take advantage.
Let's take a look at a few other players widely available who can help you in the week ahead.
PHILADELPHIA -- They just made a stop in Philadelphia, so why not be the first to throw it out. Can the New Jersey Nets make a run at the 1972-73 76ers' all-time futility mark of 9-73?
The Nets are the NBA's only winless team at 0-6 after Friday night's 97-94 loss to the 76ers and every day another player seems to get hurt. Call them the New Jersey Gnats the way they're dropping like flies.
OK, so it's way too early to think these Nets are going to make history for basketball badness. And, besides, Nets guard Rafer Alston gets upset when somebody calls his team the NBA's worse.
"That does (hurt) because you know you have a lot of pride,'' Alston said. "It hurts to be considered the worst ... when you know you have a lot of basketball and life in your game and there's a lot of pride in each man.''
ORLANDO -- Ever since he was traded to the Orlando Magic almost three months ago, Vince Carter has said all the right things. He's talked endlessly about fitting in with a team that reached the NBA Finals last season, about altering his game to fit with center Dwight Howard, and about being happy to change the way he has played his entire career.
On Friday, coach Stan Van Gundy finally asked him to stop.
He doesn't want Carter fitting in. He wants him standing out.
Rasheed Wallace is one of the last major free agent names to make a commitment, and if the reports turn out to be true (thanks to Hedo Turkoglu, you can never be too sure), he'll be suiting up to start the 2009 season as a member of the Celtics.
Our own Matt Steinmetz thinks that makes Boston the favorite to take home the title next year. But to me, that seems -- to put it as politely as possible -- a bit overly-optimistic.
There was a lot of activity in the NBA this week, and we're not just talking about the draft. Some of the NBA's big names and better teams were in on it.
Here's a quick look at the trades that went down and what they mean:
The Thinking: The Cavaliers get an aging O'Neal, with the hope that he can have a productive year playing alongside LeBron James. The only way this trade is a success is if the Cavaliers are the 2009-10 NBA champions. For the Suns, trading O'Neal means that they are beyond tinkering and are leaning toward turning over the personnel of a team that missed the playoffs last season.
ORLANDO -- Vince Carter didn't have to travel very far to shake hands with his new coach or general manager.
He was in town before the trade was even completed.
Carter, the eight-time All-Star, was traded Thursday from the New Jersey Nets to the Orlando Magic, whose practice facilities and offices were only a few miles away from where he was holding one of his summer basketball camps earlier in the day.
Carter grew up in nearby Daytona Beach, where much of his family still lives. He already has a home in Orlando. And he was a regular at Amway Arena watching the Magic through the playoffs.
Worried that signing free agent Hedo Turkoglu would handcuff them with the luxury tax for several years, the Orlando Magic turned instead to the New Jersey Nets and consummated a trade for Vince Carter that will be announced later Thursday.
Earlier in the week, the Magic also were talking with Houston about re-acquiring Tracy McGrady, but they opted to pursue Carter instead. Although Carter will make considerably more next season than Turkoglu -- who is looking for a five-year, $50 million contract -- he has only two guaranteed years remaining, paying him $16.3 and $17.3 million, respectively.
Worried that they can't re-sign free agent Hedo Turkoglu without being handcuffed by the luxury tax for several years, the Orlando Magic were talking trade possibilities with New Jersey about Vince Carter and with Houston about Tracy McGrady, according to NBA sources.
Although Carter and McGrady would cost considerably more next season than Turkoglu – who is looking for a five-year, $50 million contract – they both have contracts that end much sooner. Carter has two years remaining, at $16.3 and $17.3, respectively. McGrady has one year remaining at $23 million.
ORLANDO -- Jameer Nelson was headed into the locker room after the crushing, Game 5 defeat in the NBA Finals, not interested in watching the Los Angeles Lakers celebrate on his home court, not after he felt so helpless to stop them.
Yet teammate Dwight Howard pulled him back out, asked him to watch alongside him, so they could share the pain of defeat, so that maybe they could turn it into incentive this summer.
It's something he'll remember.
"It hurts. It's tough, but Dwight wanted me to be there with him to see it,'' he said. "I don't want this feeling again. Dwight wanted it to soak in. I wish I could have done more.''
ORLANDO -- Magic journeyman Anthony Johnson has been in the NBA 12 years, a former second-round pick from the obscure College of Charleston. He has scratched and clawed every step of the way, bouncing through 10 different teams with stops in the Development League and free agent summer camps in between.
He has had 10-day contracts and minimum wage contracts, never far from being outside looking in. He has been traded more than once for a cup of coffee and future consideration. Nothing has come easy.
It's why he thought this NBA Finals was going to be the highlight, the crowning moment of his career, coming on the heels of his most consistent, most satisfying season.
Instead, it was turned into the biggest disappointment of his life.
Who's Got Next is a weekly look at some of the top players widely available on the waiver wires.
ORLANDO -- Ever since he was traded to the 
There was a lot of activity in the NBA this week, and we're not just talking about the draft. Some of the NBA's big names and better teams were in on it.
Worried that signing free agent 
(Update: 
ORLANDO -- 
ORLANDO -- Magic journeyman 
