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The annual circus that is NBA Free Agency is well under way. Many teams have started using their Plan B's as the wait for Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James is getting out of hand and they can officially begin signing players on Thursday.
No other sport allows a player to dictate the road-map for the rest of the league as the NBA does. Numerous teams have traded players and not signed any free agents as they wait to see if Lebron James will grace their city with his talents. This, for the time being, leaves many other free agents in limbo.
With or without James, the Miami Heat are making plans for next year's roster. Today, they agreed to terms with two key free agents in Danny Granger and Josh McRoberts, and there could be more on the horizon. One of the players that has been linked to Miami is former Pitt star DeJuan Blair. Will Blair take his talents to South Beach?
Blair was first linked to the Heat on June 30 by Sporting News:
"The Heat would like to add someone in his prime this summer, including Marvin Williams, Trevor Ariza or Kyle Lowry. But the fact is, there won’t be much available when it comes to players in their 20s, and the Heat can't go overboard with spending. DeJuan Blair is a possibility at power forward, while Spencer Hawes and Channing Frye are outside possibilities for the frontcourt."
Miami may no longer be interested as the Heat fulfilled that need by agreeing to terms with the 27-year-old McRoberts. Also, if the Heat roster is revamped, Miami may not even be Blair's first choice.
One team that could be a nice fit for the former Pitt star is the Philadelphia 76ers. The team is full of young talent and while they are not ready to win just now, Blair could see increased minutes in Philadelphia. With a potential starting frontcourt that could eventually consist of Joel Embiid (injured) and Nerlens Noel, Blair could provide a veteran presence. An article from a Sixers fan blog earlier assessed whether or not Blair makes sense for the Sixers (this is a pre-draft article).
Another possibility is the Washington Wizards. Ben Standig of Comcast Sportsnet Washington D.C. assessed the likelihood of that transaction. In addition, others will certainly be in pursuit of Blair and the former Pitt star should have several options available.
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