FanHouse Stromile Swift

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.

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.

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.)