NBA Free Agent Talk: Rashard Lewis, Chauncey Billups, And The Lakers' Big Signing

(This blog entry needs to be posted now, for I don't know when I'll have a chance to post it on Wednesday. I'll probably be out late, or in a serious food coma, or a combination of both. Lunch time BBQ + dinner time BBQ + snacking on leftovers in between = certain death!

Gluttony on holidays FTMFW! What can I say? I'm "heroically portly" [thanks Hank].)

Happy Fourth of July!

Accuweather.com reports that the RealFeel temperature will be 95F tomorrow in Agoura Hills, and a cool 100F in Monterey Park. It's a good thing I won't be doing any of the actual cooking tomorrow. Although...maybe I could sweat off a few pounds before each meal.

(Time for some NBA talk, with the official start of free agency right around the corner!)

- Rashard Lewis will leave Seattle, after agreeing to a 5-year deal worth somewhere between $75 million and $85 million. Fifteen million a year for Rashard Lewis? Not to mention, signing Lewis probably costs Orlando the services of Darko Milicic. Yeah, Lewis a nice player--you can't teach 6'10", right?--with a nice shooting stroke, but does a Jameer Nelson-Rashard Lewis-Dwight Howard core get Orlando close to championship contention? I'd say no. I can't see Lewis or Turkoglu playing SG (replacing Grant Hill, who will probably go to Detroit), and the Magic have a woefully thin bench. Lewis should, however, cause teams to double team Howard less, and Howard's gotta be happy with that.

One other concern: will Orlando be willing to extend both Howard and Nelson? Of course Howard will get a max extension. But will they be able to extend Nelson, and have enough cap space to get veteran help for the Nelson-Lewis-Howard trio? Also, is Orlando really ready to give up on Darko after one year and a lost draft pick?

Clearly, Orlando is overpaying for Rashard Lewis, and I'm not sure how happy Orlando will be with their investment.

- An earlier report stated that Chauncey Billups and the Detroit Pistons had agreed to a 5-year deal worth $60 million, but Billups' agent called the report a "vicious rumor."

(Tangent: Wow! I didn't know that "invalid" was a synonym for "vicious." There goes my rant asking about how vicious a $60 million contract signing could possibly be!)

That being said, Detroit has to get this deal done. Personally, I think $12 million a year is too excessive for the guy--he's still living off his performance in the 2004 Finals, after all. However, the Pistons absolutely need Billups, if they plan on contending for a title next year.

As an aside, I don't see how Grant Hill helps this team that much. He's not going to crack the starting rotation, unless Rip Hamilton leaves the team, and I'm not sure I'd pay the mid-level exception for a sixth man with injury risks.

- Finally, Kobe Bryant is getting help, as the Lakers made a huge free agent signing!

(Ok, ok, Luke Walton isn't huge at all :P)

Has Kobe bought a house in another major city yet?