Each summer the destiny of teams around the league changes as NBA free agents sign new contracts. InsideHoops.com is the web's best source for daily NBA free agency coverage, all off-season long. The InsideHoops.com 2008 NBA free agent rankings, featuring the best players currently available. Stats are from the 2007-08 regular season.

NBA free agent rankings key: (U) = Unrestricted free agent, (R) = Restricted free agent, (P) = Player option to end contract and become unrestricted free agent, (T) = Team option to end the player's contact and make him an unrestricted free agent. (ETO) = Early termination option to become unrestricted free agent.

FREE AGENTS WHO HAVE AGREED TO DEALS

Antawn Jamison has agreed to re-sign with the Wizards for 4 years, $50 million... Gilbert Arenas opted out of his Wizards contract but will re-sign with the Wizards for 6 years, $111 million... Baron Davis opted out of his Warriors contract and will sign with the Clippers for 5 years, $65 million... Jose Calderon, who was a Raptors restricted free agent, will re-sign for 5 years, $40 million... Beno Udrih, a Kings free agent, will re-sign for 5 years, $33.3 million... Chris Duhon will leave the Bulls and sign with the Knicks for a very short-term deal... DeSagana Diop will leave the Nets and sign a long deal with a former team of his, the Mavericks, for 5 years and the mid-level exception (starts at around $5.5 million per season)... Jose Juan Barea will re-sign with the Mavericks for 3 years, $5 million... Gerald Green, who was jobless during the end of last season, will sign with the Mavericks for just one year and low pay... Chris Paul, who wasn't a free agent, is signing a big contract extension with his team, the Hornets... Elton Brand has signed with the 76ers for a huge deal... Corey Maggette has signed with the Warriors... Baron Davis has signed with the Clippers... Mickael Pietrus has signed with the Magic... Jarvis Hayes has signed with the Nets.


2008 NBA FREE AGENT RANKINGS
By InsideHoops.com

1) Josh Smith (R), Atlanta Hawks - The Hawks have no interest in letting this ultra-versatile, super-athlete go. The Clippers, after losing Elton Brand, want Smith, who can play either small or power forward and fills the entire stat-sheet.

2) Andre Iguodala (R), Philadelphia 76ers - A key piece of the Sixers, who emerged as a lower-level playoff team over the second half of the season. Will probably never be a superstar but should always receive all-star consideration. Expected to re-sign with the Hawks.

3) Luol Deng (R), Chicago Bulls - Chicago likes Deng's scoring but they aren't going to overpay to keep him. The market is very limited for Deng (and every other player who wants big money) so he'll probably have to re-sign with the Bulls by default. Will he sign for one year and test next year's free agent market instead?

4) Emeka Okafor (R), Charlotte Bobcats - Okafor turned down lots of money a year ago. If he gets it this time around, he should take it the second he's offered it. He's played like a very good building block but not like a franchise player.

5) Monta Ellis (R), Golden State Warriors - The shooting guard in a point guard's body produces points like crazy and has a bright future, though his stats are inflated thanks to playing on the Warriors. GS absolutely wants to keep him, especially since Baron is gone.

6) James Posey (U), Boston Celtics - Posey's defense, hustle and clutch play with and without the ball were a big reason why the Celtics won the 2007-08 NBA championship. Posey wants a long-term, mid-level exception deal, and if the Celtics don't want to give it to him plenty of other good teams are interested.

7) Ben Gordon (R), Chicago Bulls - Gordon is a shooting guard in the body of a muscular point guard. Chicago likes him better as big-time scoring punch off the bench than as a starter. As with Deng, the Bulls like GOrdon but aren't going to overpay to keep him. InsideHoops hears the Bulls, if forced to pick between keeping Deng or Gordon, would keep Deng.

8) Nenad Krstic (R), New Jersey Nets - It's tough to rank Kristic, because it depends on which Krstic we're talking about. The healthy one from a few years ago is top 7 on this list, but the one from this past season is barely top 15. Assuming he does regain his health -- and there's no reason why he shouldn't -- Krstic adds scoring, some rebounding, but not much of the dirty work you'd want from a power forward or center.

9) Andris Biedrins (R), Golden State Warriors - A role player who rebounds, hustles like crazy, and shoots the most wacky-looking free throws since Chris Dudley. The Warriors want to keep him but probably don't want to pay more than the mid-level exception. Very few teams would offer more than that even if they could.

10) Josh Childress (R), Atlanta Hawks - Childress is a good 6-8th man that, aside from growing a cool 'fro, isn't particularly good at any one thing but can help almost any bench in the league with general all-around contributions, and defense.

11) J.R. Smith (R), Denver Nuggets - Each season, George Karl has a problem with one of his players, and JR Smith has filled that role on the Nuggets. But with good reason: Some days Smith is a rugged, very tough-to-guard scoring phenom who pours in three-pointers like layups, and other days he forces bad shots, looks annoyed at everything, and isn't a good team player. But he can clearly help a team when playing the right way.

12) Delonte West (R), Cleveland Cavaliers - Showed flashes of talent as a combo guard with the Celtics, and proved himself even more legit as a very key member of the Cavs last year. InsideHoops.com feels the questions have been answered, and no matter how you use him, West belongs on a roster.

13) Ricky Davis (U), Miami Heat - Davis clearly has talent, especially as a scorer, but he also has a reputation of not being a very smart player as far as teamwork and decision-making goes. His effort is also questioned. When his heart is in it, Davis helps a team.

14) Ronny Turiaf (R), Los Angeles Lakers - A very limited big man but extremely intelligent in regard to setting picks, moving without the ball, and doing those little things. Has signed offer sheet with the Warriors for around four years, $4 million per season. The Lakers may not match.

15) Sasha Vujacic (R), Los Angeles Lakers - Can nail outside shots. Pretty average at everything else. Plays good defense for stretches. The Lakers hope to keep him.

16) Lou Williams (R), Philadelphia 76ers - Terrific season for Philly, who want to keep him, and likely will. Williams has shown plenty of flashes that he's able to permanently start, but for now is considered an excellent talent off the bench.

17) Carlos Arroyo (U), Orlando Magic - Has played for five different teams already, and always helps, and often flirts with being worthy of starting, but then usually finds himself back in a reserve role. InsideHoops still likes him as a prime backup point guard.

18) Shaun Livingston (U), Los Angeles Clippers - This ranking is a toss-up. The Livingston before his injury looked like he had a bright future as a lower-tier starting point guard, though his game was still in serious construction. Then he suffered a very nasty injury that could limit him forever. InsideHoops.com expects he'll sign a low-paying, one or two year deal with a team willing to see how his recovery goes. The Clippers gave up hope, however.

19) Daniel Gibson (U), Cleveland Cavaliers - For the all the attention he's gotten, he's played just two seasons, averaging 7.5 points and under 2 assists per game. And been hurt a lot. As a rookie, Gibson was a key contributor to the Cavs team that reached the finals. Last season, Delonte West was better than him. His future is bright, but the 2008-09 season will tell us a lot about his game.

20) Kwame Brown (U), Memphis Grizzlies - Now about to enter the 9th season of his NBA career, it's safe to call Brown a bust. But he can bang into people and defend the low post pretty well.

21) Sebastian Telfair (U), Minnesota Timberwolves - Telfair can't shoot. That's the problem. He's shooting under 40% for his career and just 30.2% from three-point range. Has talent, though, and InsideHoops.com expects him to continue getting jobs as a backup point guard.

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