Guys,
Can you help me out on who is a free agent this summer? Is there a list posted somewhere on the net of this? I haven't looked hard yet, but figured it'd just be easier to ask Nas or Bucket.

Secondly, we've all discussed the draft pick stuff, but what about free agents. Is there anyone we'd actually want to use our money on? I mean, a real legit player that's going to help this team get past the first round of the playoffs?

Acker, Alex (1;RFA)
Anderson, Shandon (10;UFA)
Ariza, Trevor (2;RFA)
Armstrong, Darrell (12;UFA)
Atkins, Chucky (8;UFA)
Augmon, Stacey (15;UFA)
Banks, Marcus (3;UFA)
Barnes, Matt (4;UFA)
Barry, Jon (14;UFA)
Battie, Tony (9;UFA)
Baxter, Lonny (4;UFA)
Bogans, Keith (3;RFA)
Bradley, Michael (5;UFA)
Brunson, Rick (10;UFA)
Burks, Antonio (2;RFA)
Burleson, Kevin (1;RFA)
Butler, Jackie (2;RFA)
Butler, Rasual (4;UFA)
Carter, Anthony (8;UFA)
Cassell, Sam (13;UFA)
Cato, Kelvin (9;UFA)
Cheaney, Calbert (13;UFA)
Claxton, Speedy (6;UFA)
Collins, Jarron (5;UFA)
Davis, Antonio (13;UFA)
Delk, Tony (10;UFA)
Dupree, Ronald (3;RFA)
Elson, Francisco (3;RFA)
Ely, Melvin (4;RFA)
Evans, Reggie (4;UFA)
Frahm, Richie (4;UFA)
Gaines, Reece (3;UFA)
George, Devean (7;UFA)
Gill, Eddie (6;UFA)
Gooden, Drew (4;RFA)
Green, Devin (1;RFA)
Griffin, Adrian (8;UFA)
Hardaway, Anfernee (13;UFA)
Harpring, Matt (8;UFA)
Harrington, Al (8;UFA)
Henderson, Alan (11;UFA)
Hunter, Lindsey (13;UFA)
Jackson, Bobby (9;UFA)
Jackson, Jermaine (6;UFA)
Jackson, Jim (14;UFA)
Jeffries, Jared (4;RFA)
Johnson, DerMarr (6;UFA)
Johnson, Ervin (13;UFA)
Jones, Fred (4;RFA)
Jones, Jumaine (7;UFA)
Kasun, Mario (2;RFA)
Kukoc, Toni (13;UFA)
Lenard, Voshon (11;UFA)
Marks, Sean (7;UFA)
Martin, Darrick (11;UFA)
Mashburn, Jamal (13;UFA)
Mbenga, DJ (2;RFA)
McCarty, Walter (10;UFA)
Medvedenko, Slava (6;UFA)
Mohammed, Nazr (8;UFA)
Morris, Terence (4;UFA)
Mourning, Alonzo (14;UFA)
Murray, Lamond (12;UFA)
Murray, Ronald (4;UFA)
Nailon, Lee (6;UFA)
Ndong, Boniface (1;RFA)
Nene (4;RFA)
Olowokandi, Michael (8;UFA)
Ostertag, Greg (11;UFA)
Outlaw, Bo (13;UFA)
Owens, Andre (1;RFA)
Palacio, Milt (7;UFA)
Pargo, Jannero (4;UFA)
Payton, Gary (16;UFA)
Piatkowski, Eric (12;UFA)
Pollard, Scot (9;UFA)
Przybilla, Joel (6;UFA)
Radmanovic, Vladimir (5;UFA)
Randolph, Shavlik (1;RFA)
Reed, Justin (2;RFA)
Robinson, Bernard (2;RFA)
Russell, Bryon (13;UFA)
Salmons, John (4;RFA)
Sampson, Jamal (4;UFA)
Smith, Charles (6;UFA)
Storey, Awvee (2;RFA)
Terry, Jason (7;UFA)
Thomas, Tim (9;UFA)
Van Exel, Nick (13;UFA)
Van Horn, Keith (9;UFA)
Vaughn, Jacque (9;UFA)
Voskuhl, Jake (6;UFA)
Vroman, Jackson (2;RFA)
Wallace, Ben (10;UFA)
Wells, Bonzi (8;UFA)
Welsch, Jiri (4;RFA)
Wesley, David (14;UFA)
Wilcox, Chris (4;RFA)
Wilks, Mike (5;UFA)
Williams, Aaron (12;UFA)
Woods, Loren (5;UFA)
Woods, Qyntel (4;UFA)
Wright, Lorenzen (10;UFA)

To answer your 2nd question, yes & no. There are plenty of guys out there that certainly make you a better team. For example: Al Harrington, Drew Gooden, Nene Hilario, Nazr Mohammed, Chris Wilcox, Joel Przybilla, etc (I'll eliminate Ben Wallace because I don't expect him to leave Detroit.) Any of those guys improve your roster. But, if you want instant gratification, you need to find a way to pry away someone like Kevin Garnett or Jermaine O'Neal. Otherwise, the guys on this list are just compliments to what you've already got and you simply play the waiting game until Kirk, Ben, Luol, Tyson and your 2 draft picks enter their prime. The type of player that is going to completely change your team seldom reaches free agency. They either stay with the team that drafted them, or they're traded on ridiculous terms a la Hershel Walker.

Nas, I knew someone would bring up Sam Cassell, but I was hoping it wouldn't be you.

Why would you want to do that, especially when you're pushing for Brandon Roy at the same time? Aren't you the same guy trying to make the "not enough minutes for everyone" argument?

God, you and Nas are great with your NBA stuff...instant answers. Ok, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing "something" out of this free agency period. Ireally wish Garnett was a Bull though I know a lot of people are against it. The guys was the MVP just two years ago. That franchise has done nothing to get better recently so I don't blame him. Wouldn't you guys want this guy on our team? I'd give up both first rounders + a bench guy.

Yeah, the guys in the Minnesota front office.

I'm not against it at all. I'd give up draft picks, just not half our core of young guys. Otherwise, you become the Timberwolves. Garnett and a bunch of chumps.