Top free-agent shooting guards
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Sean Deveney /
Posted: 1 hour ago
http://msn.foxsports.com/story/2552496


Kobe Bryant is the kingpin of free agency, and, really, the most important player in the league right now. But after him, there is a deep list of good shooting guards available. No player is more intriguing on the market this year than Mavericks Mystery Man Marquis Daniels.


Kobe Bryant can still dominate a game. (Jed Jacobsohn / AllSport)

Kobe Bryant, Lakers
Bryant came into the season out of shape, still bothered by an off-season of two surgeries and a rape charge in Colorado. Thus, everything was off for Bryant — his shooting, scoring, passing, rebounding and defense all dropped this year. Still, Bryant is the dominant perimeter player in the game, and worthy of a seven-year maximum-contract offer in the $130 million neighborhood from the Lakers, which he will get. He will also get six-year offers just over $100 million from the Clippers and/or the Suns, though, and Bryant will give them consideration. Joining the Clippers would give Bryant his own team with some good, young talent around him and would allow him to keep his family in Southern California. Phoenix also offers young talent, a far less intense media situation than L.A. and Mike D'Antoni, Byrant's boyhood hero, as coach. It has become clear that Bryant no longer wants to play with Shaquille O'Neal, and if the O'Neal trade talks cool, Bryant has more incentive to jump ship. Of course, the real challenge this summer will be his trial in Colorado, which begins in late August.

Manu Ginobili, Spurs
Ginobili improved last year, and though he needs to get better still, he showed that he is fast, versatile and one of the better athletes in the league. He can handle three positions, which makes him valuable for the Spurs, who are short on depth. Denver has the cap space and roster spot to make Ginobili an offer, and the Jazz were said to be interested as well (before they drafted Kirk Snyder, though). But the Spurs have cleared out room to ensure they can re-sign Ginobili, so it is almost certain they will.

Quentin Richardson, Clippers
The odd man out in the Clippers' chase of Bryant could be Richardson, who is only 24, averaged 17.2 points last year, grabbed 6.4 rebounds and played much-improved defense. For that, Richardson probably has earned a deal beyond the mid-level exception, which is bad news for Boston, one team that has a high interest in him. Denver and Utah figure to be players for Richardson, though he is restricted, and the Jazz would like to avoid restricted free agents (after having missed out on Jason Terry and Corey Maggette last year). Atlanta, heavy on wing men already, has an outside shot of getting into the mix for Richardson.

Stephen Jackson, Hawks
Drafting Josh Childress and Josh Smith sealed the obvious — Jackson is not going back to Atlanta. He used his time there well, though, showing that his performance in San Antonio the previous season was not a fluke by averaging 18.1 points. He can play the 2 or the 3, and does both well. The Spurs, who missed Jackson's clutch shooting in the postseason, will be one of the first teams in line to sign Jackson. Denver, which passed on a chance to sign Jackson last year, will be there, too, though the team prefers Richardson. Chicago is expected to make an offer, as well as the Blazers.

Bobby Sura, Hawks
After Sura was traded to the Hawks, he averaged 14.7 points and 5.3 assists, had two triple-doubles and added another now-famous near triple-double. He does well in a fast-paced offense and has the ballhandling skills to run the point. The Hawks might look to keep him around, but he has gotten interest from the Bulls and could see more from teams in need of versatility off the bench, like Cleveland, New Orleans and Portland.

Marquis Daniels, Mavericks
How about these numbers for eight April games, starring Marquis Daniels: 20 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 52 percent shooting. Daniels was an amazing late-season rookie bloomer for the Mavericks, who must now decide whether he was for real and how much to pay him. Daniels went undrafted last June and signed a one-year deal. The Mavs will have to bite into their mid-level exception to keep him, and they intend to do it. But if a team under the cap — the Bobcats, Suns, Jazz, Hawks or Nuggets, for example — gambles on Daniels and gives him a contract starting at the mid-level or higher, the Mavericks would have to let him walk.

Gordan Giricek, Jazz
Still not quite sure why the Magic would trade Giricek, who had improved his 3-point shooting and was the team's most reliable option outside of Tracy McGrady, for DeShawn Stevenson. He was shooting 40.7 percent from behind the arc when the Magic traded him. But it happened. Now, Giricek is a restricted free agent, and Utah is expected to match offers, which could come from Portland or Denver.

Jon Barry, Nuggets
Barry turns 35 this month, and his shooting stroke might be slipping. That's bad news because there is not much else keeping him in the league. But he is a solid veteran, has been through seven teams and will latch onto someone's bench.

Fred Hoiberg, Timberwolves
After wasting away for four years in Chicago, Hoiberg's career got a jolt with the Timberwolves. He shot 44.2 percent from the 3-point line, made clutch shots in the playoffs and even played some point guard. The Timberwolves will likely keep Hoiberg, who is smart enough to know that playing with Kevin Garnett had a lot to do with his increased production.

DeShawn Stevenson, Magic
Stevenson was having a decent season when the Jazz traded him for Gordan Giricek in February. Despite his improvement, it was clear the Jazz did not think Stevenson would put in the work to develop into the versatile, athletic wing man they had hoped he would. Orlando exposed him in the expansion draft, and the Bobcats passed, which shows you how low Stevenson's stock is.