POINT GUARDS

1. Earl Watson (13.6 pts, 7.9 ast, 13.04 PER)
Watson's PER isn't as good as the other point guards', but he's the best defender by a mile -- arguably the best defensive point guard in basketball, in fact. That's created plenty of demand, but he's driven off suitors by seeking a team's full mid-level exception.

2. Brevin Knight (13.7 pts, 12.2 ast, 18.06 PER)
Knight played out of his mind last season and has almost no chance of repeating it, but it's still surprising to see such tepid demand for him. With few bites from contenders, chances are he'll return to Charlotte and help groom Raymond Felton.

3. Damon Jones (14.8 pts, 5.4 ast, 15.57 PER)
Jones had a career year but is having trouble getting Cleveland and Miami to raise their bids above the $3.5 million area. At some point he'll have to choose which team will underpay him. Regardless, he'll be starting for a contender and getting lots of open 3s.

4. Gary Payton (13.7 pts, 7.4 ast, 15.18 PER)
Though still a productive offensive player, The Glove's defense is more like "Smell the Glove" these days. He won't be returning to Boston but has several options, including a return to the Lakers.

5. Dan Dickau (17.0 pts, 6.6 ast, 14.85 PER)
Dickau resurrected his career in New Orleans but won't be back after the Hornets drafted Chris Paul. Dickau has had a few nibbles but probably will have to wait for Jones and Watson to go off the market before he gets any serious offers.


SHOOTING GUARDS

1. Michael Finley (17.0 pts, 4.4 reb, 14.34 PER)
A star for most of the past decade, Finley declined sharply last year and Dallas dropped him using the amnesty rule. It remains to be seen whether he'll bounce back, but for the price of a mid-level exception several teams would happily take the risk. ESPN.com's Marc Stein has already broken down the four leading contenders for his services.

2. DerMarr Johnson (16.3 pts, 4.9 reb, 13.97 PER)
Here's the other reason demand for Finley is sky-high: Look at the rest of the shooting guard crop. Going from Finley to Johnson is a drop of Himalayan proportions. Johnson's length makes him a defensive asset and he can hit the 3, but the search for an off-the-dribble game continues. The Nuggets and Spurs both have shown interest in Johnson if they lose the Finley sweepstakes.

3. Greg Buckner (11.4 pts, 5.5 reb, 13.67 PER)
The good-field, no-hit Buckner is useful only as a role player. Buckner had perhaps his best season a year ago but still underwhelmed with his scoring. While his defense will get him a contract somewhere, his inability to find the basket is dampening demand.

4. Doug and Jackie Christie (Doug: 9.0 pts, 5.6 ast, 9.92 PER; Jackie: 0.0 pts, 0.0 ast, 0.00 PER)
A package deal, the Christies suffered through a rough campaign last year thanks to Doug's foot problems and a swarm of reality TV producers. They were waived by Orlando via the amnesty rule but already have an agreement in place to join Dallas; presuming they clear waivers this week.

5. Derek Anderson (14.0 pts, 4.6 ast, 11.68 PER)
An amnesty-rule casualty who was waived by the Blazers, Anderson ventured into free agency with heady talk of getting a team's full mid-level exception but seems to have shifted into a more reality-based view of the marketplace. Several teams have shown interest at a more reasonable price, hoping that his once-potent jumper can return from a two-year siesta.

I'm telling you the League could start another franchise with the talent still available.