The landscape of NBA free agency is indeed a tricky situation to navigate.

A team has to convince several different players simultaneously that their services are desired above and beyond anyone else that they are recruiting.

Let’s take this off-season, for example.  Chicago, Los Angeles (Clippers), New York, New Jersey, Miami and, of course, Cleveland all want a piece of LeBron James.  Dwayne Wade serves as what will go down in the history of free agency as one of the most talented consolation prizes ever.  And if you’re one of the teams mired in this open season madness, you had better make it your business to grab one of these available bigs on the market – whether it be Chris Bosh, Amar’e Stoudemire or Carlos Boozer.

We can acknowledge that the aforementioned players represent the cream of the crop, but what is happening with the remainder of the second-tier players?

Well, Memphis swingman Rudy Gay has agreed on a 5-year, $82 million deal which will keep him with the Grizzlies.  The soon-to-be-24 swingman is not a franchise player type, but his scoring, athleticism, tough defense and creativity could add a dimension to a team looking for help.  Plugging him into the 2/3 spot in Chicago or alongside Dwayne Wade in Miami would have helped those teams tremendously.

Organizations should be concerned about Boozer's injury history.

While Paul Pierce and Ray Allen both filed for free agency, Pierce has already reached a four-year deal to remain with the Celtics.  And it’s highly unlikely that Allen will venture away from Beantown.  Doc Rivers has announced that he’d “like to get one more crack at it with this group,” and you can believe that he will get that chance.

Joe Johnson is a big name on the market, but is not a true franchise cornerstone.  Teams, particularly the Knicks, have courted Johnson in hopes that he can serve as bait for James or Wade.  But that plan may be foiled, as the Hawks have offered JJ what many claim to be one of the worst contracts ever – especially for someone who just proved that he is not capable of performing in the absurdly physical second round of the playoffs.

Can we really picture Dirk Nowitzki in a uniform other than that of the Dallas Mavericks?  Right now he’s posturing to make his team better, trying to see what Dallas is going to do with its roster.  But in the end, he’s not jumping ship. 

The big summer of free agency is rapidly coming down to the pursuit of a few key stars – Wade (who has been rumored to be heavily leaning towards remaining in South Beach), James and Bosh (who are both entertaining offers from any and everyone).  Accompanying power forwards Boozer and Stoudemire are merely well-known sidekicks.

Six teams are tussling for the two-time NBA MVP.  Wade is being wooed by five organizations.  Four franchises are engrossed in the hunt for Bosh. 

Somebody is going to get left out in the cold.  And for them, the summer with so much promise will have ended in nothing but despair.

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