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Greg Buckner is an inspiration for every sixth man in the NBA looking for a sip of water in the parched earth known as the NBA free agent market.

Buckner signed a six-year, $18 million contract with the 76ers Thursday that had more than a few agents shaking their heads. "How did he get that deal?" one prominent agent asked. Translation: Why can't I get that deal for my guy?

Buckner's agent, Steve Kaufman, may not be the flashiest agent or have the biggest client list, but he's always a step or two ahead of the curve when it comes to free agency. Last year he had all four of his clients wrapped up within the first couple of weeks of free agency. This year, while more prominent free agents like Keon Clark, Donyell Marshall and Matt Harpring hold out for cash that might not be there in a week, Kaufman was getting Buckner a contract.

Ditto for Lon Babby. In addition to such high profile clients as Tim Duncan, Grant Hill and Shane Battier, Babby has quietly worked behind the scenes to get some pretty impressive deals for guys who aren't the hottest names on the planet. Seven years, $42 million for Malik Rose? Unbelievable. Five years, $17 million for Pat Garrity? Not too shabby when you consider that the Magic have been on a contract diet the last few years trying to save acorns for Tim Duncan. Three years, $11.2 million for Bruce Bowen? Pretty good for a player who averaged just 7 points and 2.7 rebounds per game last season. And Babby is in the process of finalizing another deal with New Jersey for client Chris Childs.

Both agents employ a strategy that emphasizes security over shoot-the-moon promises. They read the economic climate in the league, are straight with their clients and then move quickly to get them into a good situation while the money is still there.

"It's not easy to convince some players that the economic climate in the league has changed," Kaufman told Insider. "It's getting to the point where you have to tell a guy, if I can get you a decent contract with a good team, you better take it."

It's to the point that getting half of the exception would be a major victory for most of the free agents left on the market. With many teams now facing luxury tax issues and the wealthier teams using up their mid-level exceptions, free agents are running out of chances to grab a multi-year deal.

Keon Clark's two strongest suitors, the 76ers and Magic, both look like they'll no longer be able to afford him. Rodney Rogers, who laughed at the Celtics' $2 million offer when free agency got underway, may be lucky to get that somewhere else now. Rashard Lewis is making his recruiting visits, but he'll have to settle for much less if he spurns the Sonics. Donyell Marshall is asking for a contract that averages $10 million a year when the truth is he'd have difficulty landing a full mid-level exception somewhere else. Ricky Davis is reportedly asking for $20 million more than the Cavs are willing to pay. Bryan Russell already lost his job in Utah after a free agent came in and took the veterans minimum.

When the music stops, more than a few good free agents are going to be left without a seat. Some will accept one-year deals, praying that the market becomes much more competitive next season when more teams have cap room. Others will be stuck sitting around in October wondering what happened.

We're two weeks into the signing period and players like Jeff McInnis, Travis Best, Charles Oakley, Popeye Jones, Lee Nailon, Tyrone Nesby, Eduardo Najera and Troy Hudson have been merely blips on the radar screen. All have big ideas about their value and most of them have turned down decent deals for a more lucrative pay day. Who will get left holding the Old Maid card?

Check out Insider's updated Free Agent Watch for the skinny on who's hot and who's not in the free agent market.

Rashard Lewis disses the Rockets

The crowd cheered, the Mavs gushed ("I'd take on the Western Conference All-Star team and feel comfortable," owner Mark Cuban said) and Rashard Lewis swooned Thursday during the Sonics free-agent's visit to Dallas.

"My welcome was one of the best I've ever had," Lewis told the Seattle Times. "I'm from this area, (so) my family and friends will be able to see me play a lot more often. The way they go about things is really surprising. Makes me put a smile on my face. The main thing is me being comfortable and wanting to go out there and be with the team. They're making me feel at home right now, so it's a good thing. Something I've wanted to do is go out and visit other teams, see what other organizations are like and see what they have to offer."

While the Mavs' signing Lewis remains a long shot, Lewis didn't rule it out.

"The main thing is me being comfortable," said Lewis, calling Dallas "really the team" he wanted to visit.

In fact, Lewis went so far as to diss the Rockets, his hometown team, who also would love to sign him. Asked if leaving Seattle came down to a choice between the Mavericks and his hometown Rockets, Lewis gave the advantage to the former. "I think Dallas has a better organization than Houston," Lewis told the Dallas Morning News.

Lewis said he plans to make a decision in the next week or so. He also may visit the Rockets and Bulls before making his decision.

Mavericks make full-court sales pitch to Lewis

Marc Stein / Dallas Morning News

Lewis gets 'Big D' welcome in Dallas

Percy Allen / Seattle Times

Will Keon consider a one year deal with the Magic?

Would Keon Clark's value sky rocket if he signed a one-year deal with the Magic this summer and became an unrestricted free agent next year?

"He wouldn't want to sign for much less than he can get," agent Jim Mourer told the Orlando Sentinel. "Still, if the situation was right, yeah, he'd consider something short term."

Clark wants to play for Orlando and the Magic want Clark to play for them, but there are complications. The Magic are dangerously close to the luxury tax. Signing Clark to the full mid-level exception would put them over the threshold. The team is also trying to clear as much room as possible to make a run at a major free agent in 2003.

With the Magic in desperate need of front-court help, it seems like the perfect situation for Clark to star in for one year. Next summer, as many as 10 teams could have significant cap room to pursue him. If he plays well, he could earn a much bigger contract than he'll be able to sign this summer.

Now that the Sixers have used most of their mid-level exception, it looks like the Kings are the only other serious suitor for Clark.

Magic try to entice Clark

Jerry Brewer / Orlando Sentinel

Will the Nuggets or T-Wolves steal away Ricky Davis?

One day after the Nuggets blew off suggestions that they are making a big push for Cavs restricted free agent Ricky Davis, word leaked to the Rocky Mountain News that the Nuggets are once again shopping James Posey.

Posey, who was within hours of being traded to the Wizards the day before the draft, could be expendable if the team signed a young athletic player like Davis. Posey has long been coveted by Cavs coach John Lucas for his defensive tenacity.

Could the teams work out a sign-and-trade? Denver has a $1.2 million trade exception that could facilitate a trade. However, Davis is reportedly looking for a contract starting at about $5 million a year. The Nuggets, who are in the process of clearing huge amounts of cap room this year, may balk at paying Davis so much for what was, essentially, two good months of basketball at the end of last season.

The Nuggets aren't the only team in the picture. League sources told Insider on Thursday that the Timberwolves are also very interested in Davis and have been mulling giving him an offer sheet. While Cleveland has maintained it'll match any offer for Davis, some around the league don't believe the Cavs would match a full mid-level offer.

The Cavs have long coveted Wally Szczerbiak and a sign-and-trade isn't out of the question.

Nuggets seek to move Posey, target adding swingman Davis

Kyle Ringo / Rocky Mountain News

Write Back: Kandi closer to 29 than 1?

Many of you took issue with my list of the top 10 centers in the league. However, no one provided an even remotely convincing argument that another center was clearly the second best center in the league.

The best line came from Richard Meyers who wrote, "Great story about Olowakandi. I like Michael a lot, but the best line I've read about him is that as the second best center in the league 'he's a lot closer to 29 than to 1.'"

Q: I would love to know how you can write an article about the second best centers in the NBA without even mentioning Antonio Davis. Granted he should be a power forward. However, that means nothing because he played center over half the year (and ALL of last year) while The Dream was thanking his agent for the large contract he was receiving for being on the IL. If "Cotton Camby" gets consideration then it is an absolute joke not to mention Antonio Davis. -- Kobi Besson, Toronto

FORD: You're right. I excluded Davis because, like so many other players in the NBA right now, he's a 6-foot-9 power forward playing center because of necessity. However, he does get plenty of time there and I think he's actually better there than at power forward. Davis uses his quickness to get by big men. He's more aggressive inside and forgets about trying to sink baseline jumpers. When he moves to power forward, he can't use his quickness to get his shot and settles for too many outside shots. Still, is he the second best center in the NBA? No way.

Q: Second best center? OK, this guy's probably not the second best either, but how could you not even MENTION Brad Miller? He averaged over 15 pts. and almost 8 rbs. after coming over from the Bulls, and he's 7-0 and 261 lbs. As someone once said, "he gets under Shaq's skin the minute he steps onto the floor". At the very least, he should have been mentioned... -- Donovan Moore, Parker, Colo.

FORD: Miller is definitely an offensive force and he is a true center. Is he better than the 10 players I mentioned? It's questionable. I think you could make a strong argument that he's got an edge over Rasho Nesterovic, the 10th guy on the list. Miller is getting better, however, and I suspect, in the next few years, he'll easily be a Top 10 center in the league.

Q: On your list of second best centers in the NBA, you forgot to list Zydrunas Ilguaskas. While he has been hurt many, many, many times over the past few years, when healthy he has been a very good player, and certainly above mentioning Yao Ming, Marcus Camby, and some of the other imposters you had there. Again, you would have to mention the injuries, but when he is on, there are few centers of his skill level in the league, if any (other than Shaq of course). -- Frank Wright, Cleveland

FORD: No question, Ilgauskas has a great talent. But he has such an atrocious history of injuries he makes Marcus Camby look like Cal Ripken. Even though he played most of last season, he's a shell of his former self. I think the concern in Cleveland right now is that, even though he stayed healthy for the season, Ilgauskas will never be able to play at full speed. He just can't attack with the reckless abandon he needs to. I think he may stay in the league for another five or six years, but he'll never be what he could have been had his feet stayed healthy.

Q: I think that if Tim Duncan stopped his quest not to center he would be a strong candidate. -- Angel Correa, New York City

FORD: Good point. We'll find out next year, when David Robinson retires, won't we.

Summer League update

Insider's Terry Brown is in Salt Lake right now. He'll file daily news and notes from the Rocky Mountain Revue. Here's his take:

Welcome to the NBA. Now go home.

Unless your name is Drew Gooden or Eddy Curry, your NBA season may be coming to end before it ever began. The Rocky Mountain Revue concludes tomorrow after nine days of summer league games between nine different teams featuring up and coming stars, top draft picks and what they affectionately refer to as free agents.

Like Charlie Bell.

Last year at the Revue, he averaged 19.2 points per game to lead the Phoenix Suns and receive All Tournament honors. It got him a grand total of 42 minutes for the Suns during the regular season, 2 minutes for the Dallas Mavericks and plane ticket to Italy to play for Benetton Treviso.

This year at the Revue, he is averaging 6.8 points per game for the Utah Jazz.

Next year?

That's all three NCAA Final Fours, a National Championship and the Big Ten records for games played and games started will get you these days when you're only 6-foot-3 and happen to play the same position as your current team's first round pick of three drafts ago.

Utah Jazz guard DeShawn Stevenson is, himself, straddling the thin line between Lenny Cooke and Kobe Bryant. He is also averaging 17 points per game in the Revue, behind only:

Drew Gooden (Memphis Grizzlies) 21.5 ppg Zach Randolph (Portland Blazers) 20 ppg Dajuan Wagner (Cleveland Cavs) 20 ppg

Stevenson skipped college after sixth period, beat a statutory rape charge before ever playing in an NBA game and could very well become the starting guard for the Jazz in three short months.

Or . . .

"Teams look at a lot of different things," said Steve Henson, a scout for the Atlanta Hawks sitting front row at Thursday night's games. "Each team wants to develop its young guys. That's their primary purpose. Free agents want to feature their own talents to make the team. It's a tough mix."

Players like Jay Williams (the No. 2 pick of the draft of the Chicago Bulls) and Qyntel Woods (the No. 21 pick of the Portland Blazers) already have guaranteed contracts. They get minutes, shots, a uniform come regular season and, at the very least, a seat on the bench once the real games start.

Stevenson is averaging 33.5 minutes per game. Bell is averaging less than 17.

Up until yesterday, Alton Ford was averaging 14.3 points and 6 rebounds for the Phoenix Suns while shooting 54 percent from the field and 81 percent from the line in only 22 minutes of game time.

Stretch his numbers into 48-minute spans and he's averaging 31.1 points per game and 13.1 rebounds.

What more could you ask from a 6-foot-9 guy trying to earn a spot in the rotation on a team that just drafted a 19-year-old kid named Amare Stoudamire who is taller, faster and plays the same position.

Ford has neither the shooting range of Nikoloz Tskitishvili (6 of 9 from long range thus far) nor the arm length of Nene Hilario, both of whom play for the Denver Nuggets and both of whom Ford is expected guard.

Lottery Pick Stats

No. 2 Jay Williams (Chicago Bulls) 13 ppg, 2.6 apg

No. 4 Drew Gooden (Memphis Grizzlies) 21.5 ppg, 10.5 rpg

No. 5 Nikoloz Tskitishvili (Denver Nugs) 9.3 ppg, 9-10 FT

No. 6 Dajuan Wagner (Cleveland Cavs) 20 ppg, 2.2 apg

No. 7 Nene Hilario (Denver Nugs) 7 ppg, 4 rpg

No. 9 Amare Stoudamire (Phoenix Suns) 13.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg

After four games, Ford has totaled zero blocks, one three-pointer and two steals. In Game Five, versus the Nuggets, he plays a total of 12 minutes, getting one shot and scoring one point on a free throw.

"Timing is everything," Henson says. "Each player has to find the right roster to fill a certain need. And a lot of times, these borderline players hurt themselves by getting away from what they do best and focusing on their weaknesses. For some reason, a non shooter all of a sudden wants to shoot the ball."

In that same game between those same two unbeaten teams at the Revue, Kenny Satterfield, a second-round pick already traded once during his rookie season, matches up with Milt Palacio, a player never drafted who has played for three different teams in three years.

Satterfield averaged 5.8 minutes per game for Denver in January. But after the Nuggets got rid of starter Nick Van Exel and veteran Avery Johnson, Satterfield's minutes jumped to 22 in April. This year, at the Revue, he's averaging 23.

Palacio averaged 2.8 points per game for the Suns last year. At the Revue, he's averaging 33 minutes per game and 14.5 points to lead his team.

Other Notables Numbers

Eddy Curry (Chicago Bulls) 14.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg

Tyson Chandler (Chicago Bulls) 5.8 ppg, 8 rpg

DeSagana Diop (Cleveland Cavs) 6 ppg, 4.2 bpg

Ruben Boumtje Boumtje (Portland Blazers) 9.3 ppg, 9 rpg

Satterfield tallies 9 points and 6 assists in the game. Palacio gets 12 and 3.

Casey Jacobsen, the No. 22 pick of the Phoenix Suns, scores one point on 0-7 shooting from the field including 0-4 from long range. For the Revue, the player the Suns drafted with sharpshooter in mind, is at 36 percent from the field and 23 percent from three-point range.

Richie Frahm, a Blazer free agent, scores 24 points the night before on 8 of 10 shooting from the field and 3 of 3 from long range. For the Revue, he is shooting 55 percent from the field and 63 percent (7 of 11) from three-point range.

Three-Point Shooting

William Avery (Utah Jazz) 53% on 8 of 15 from long range

Lubos Barton (Cleveland Cavs) 47% on 8 of 17

Dajuan Wagner (Cleveland Cavs) 42% on 8 of 19

But few outside of teammate Zach Randolph know Frahm even exists. Randolph won the Revue's MVP Award last year and could very well pull it off again. He's second in scoring (20 ppg), second in rebounding (10.3) and tops in minutes (35).

Joining Bell and Randolph on last Revue's All Tourney team were San Antonio point guard Tony Parker, Houston forward Eddie Griffin, Memphis forward Shane Battier and Utah forward Andrei Kirilenko.

The former four players not only ended up starting but starring for their respective teams.

Randolph and Bell ended up back here.

Other Leaders

Jermaine Jackson (Toronto Raptors) 6.7 assists per game

Maceo Baston (Toronto Raptors) 85 percent from the field

Fred House (Memphis Grizzlies) 4.2 steals per game

DeSagana Diop (Cleveland Cavs) 4.2 blocks per game

For some, the Summer League is just a step before the Pros. We know who they are. For others, it's a step before retirement. We know who they are, too. For one or two, though, it's a lottery ticket.

Duck before Chris Andersen dunks again.

The Nugget squeezed 9 points (team high), 7 boards (game high) and a steal in 17 minutes of play to lead his team over the Suns Thursday to become the only undefeated team left in the tourney.

But for most, it is the last place 6-foot-9 guys can still play power forward against kids five or six years younger than them speaking languages they have never heard before.

"They used to play against guys who were maybe 6-foot-4 in college," said Henson. "Now, they're playing against 6-foot-6 guys who are even quicker."

And, if they're lucky, they'll soon be playing against guys who are 6-foot-8 and even quicker.

Make sure you check out our Rocky Mountain Revue, Pro Summer League , Shaw's Pro Summer League, and Orlando Summer Pro League pages for rosters, leaders and box scores.

Growing into game

K.C. Johnson / Chicago Tribune

Stevenson Stays On Target in Utah's Victory

Phil Miller / Salt Lake Tribune

Satterfield hopeful Jackson points way

Marc J. Spears / Denver Post

Peep Show

Wizards: Is the team really ready to give Richard Hamilton an extension? The Wizards like Hamilton, but extending his contract could drastically cut into next summer's projected salary cap space of more than $10 million that the Wizards have spent the past two years clearing. The Wizards have also been pushing the wispy-thin Hamilton to make more of an effort to get stronger in the weight room and improve defensively and could be waiting to see how he does in both areas before doling out big money, The Washington Post reports.

Jazz: Have the Jazz and Donyell Marshall reached an impasse? "I really, really tried to get something done with them (Wednesday), and they just are not moving in the right direction," agent Dwight Manley told the Deseret News. "It doesn't look like Donyell's gonna be back to Utah . . . It's a real tough situation, because it's not only money we're talking about, but the direction of the team being in a rebuilding mode, and a player in his prime not going in the same direction. . . . Donyell (Marshall) is not in a rebuilding mode" . . . GM Kevin O'Connor told the Salt Lake Tribune that Quincy Lewis is close to signing a contract with a foreign team; a team in Israel apparently has made a lucrative offer. "I'm happy that Quincy is employed in basketball. He did a good job for us," O'Connor said. "If that's the situation, he looked around at what money was out there and decided this is the best way to play ball and get more experience."

Lakers: Guard Brian Shaw has agreed to a one-year contract for the veterans' minimum of $1.03 million, league sources told the L.A. Times. The club also expects to announce a contract agreement with forward Slava Medvedenko shortly, along with a non-guaranteed, one-year deal for Jannero Pargo, a 6-foot-2 guard from Arkansas who played well for the Lakers in the summer league.

Spurs: What took so long for the team to finalize the seven-year, $42 million deal with free agent Malik Rose? According to the San Antonio Express News, Rose's signing was postponed while the Spurs debated whether to start his contract at a higher salary in the first season and decrease it in the second year to give them slightly more salary-cap flexibility next summer. The Spurs instead opted to begin the contract at $4.3 million next season then have it escalate because their combined payroll is dangerously close to the luxury-tax threshold, estimated to be $50-52.5 million.

Sixers: Greg Buckner and Monty Williams were signed Thursday to shore up the defense, but are the Sixers done? GM Billy King still has $2.14 million left in his mid-level exception, but even if he does not make another move, he and coach Larry Brown are satisfied. "We're a better team and he [brown] is comfortable," King told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "We tried to do bigger things." The Sixers may still try to sign free agent Rodney Rogers with the rest of the money.

Nuggets: Agent Warren LeGarie told the Rocky Mountain News that he has been told the Nuggets are considering only his client, Del Harris, and Utah assistant coach Phil Johnson for the head coaching post.

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[Traceman]

I wonder if its routine (it probably is) for the Hawks to send scouts to the other summer league games whether we are looking for players there or not? I guess you never know what's gong to happen with trades, etc. so I'm sure it's always good to have up to date, credible info from your scouts about players who may be available.

[Guest]

Eddy Curry (Chicago Bulls) 14.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg

Tyson Chandler (Chicago Bulls) 5.8 ppg, 8 rpg

DeSagana Diop (Cleveland Cavs) 6 ppg, 4.2 bpg

Ruben Boumtje Boumtje (Portland Blazers) 9.3 ppg, 9 rpg "

Chandler 5PPG 8RPG?

Curry 3.2RPG?

These guys got a long way to go,but if the Bulls land Lewis I

think Lewis/Rose would be enough to get them to challenge

for a playoff spot.