There are 12 players in the Observer's NBA top-100 who become unrestricted free agents this summer. Seemingly, these would be prime targets for the Charlotte Bobcats, who can assemble as much as $21 million in room under next season's salary cap. But eight of those players have already played 11 or more NBA seasons -- late in their careers to sign up for a rebuilding job.
Two of the others -- Nets point guard Deron Williams and Hornets center Chris Kaman -- have expressed interest in playing for contenders if they change teams. That leaves two power forwards -- the Bucks' Ersan Ilyasova and the Nets' Kris Humphries.
| Player | Current team | Year drafted (overall pick) | Comments |
| Jason Kidd | Mavericks | 1994 (2) | Still has mileage left, but likely chasing another ring. |
| Kevin Garnett | Celtics | 1995 (5) | Might retire; certainly isn't interested in a rebuilding project. |
| Ray Allen | Celtics | 1996 (5) | One of the game's best shooters, but high-mileage and hurt a lot. |
| Steve Nash | Suns | 1996 (15) | Good chance he leaves Phoenix, but not to play in Charlotte. |
| Tim Duncan | Spurs | 1997 (1) | Might retire; seems inconceivable he'd leave San Antonio. |
| Antawn Jamison | Cavaliers | 1998 (4) | Would consider the hometown Bobcats, but at what price? |
| Jason Terry | Mavericks | 1999 (10) | A dangerous perimeter scorer, but on the backside of his career. |
| Gerald Wallace | Nets | 2001 (25) | Been there, done that in Charlotte; likely re-signs with the Nets. |
| Chris Kaman | Hornets | 2003 (6) | He has sent out signals he wants to find a contender. |
| Kris Humphries | Nets | 2004 (14) | A late-bloomer who would improve the Bobcats' rebounding. |
| Deron Williams | Nets | 2005 (3) | Top unrestricted; says he's only interested in a contender |
| Ersan Ilyasova | Bucks | 2005 (36) | A rebounder and 3-point threat; he'd be a good fit for Bobcats. |
Possible free agents 2013-14
It will be challenging for the Charlotte Bobcats to recruit prominent free agents off other rosters for a variety of reasons: The NBA's collective bargaining agreement grants advantages to the retaining team, in terms of contract length and year-to-year raises. Also Charlotte's relatively small market size and the Bobcats' lack of previous success (one playoff appearance and that a sweep) make for a tough sale. Still, here are some names from upcoming free-agent classes, both unrestricted and restricted categories. These lists are subject to change, as teams could extend some of these players' contracts before they reach free-agency.| Player | Current team | Status | Comments |
| David West | Pacers | Unrestricted in 2013## | Frontcourt scorer; undersized for power forward but productive. |
| Chris Paul | Clippers | Unrestricted in 2013## | A fantasy; it's a reach to think he'd ever be a Bobcat. |
| Dwight Howard | Magic | Unrestricted 2013 | Best big man in the game, but a flaky, fickle personality. |
| Andrew Bynum | Lakers | Unrestricted 2013 | One of the league's better centers, he's had injury concerns. |
| Lou Williams | 76ers | Unrestricted in 2013 | Thrived last season playing for Doug Collins in Philadelphia. |
| Stephen Curry | Warriors | Restricted in 2013 | It would be great to bring him home, but the Warriors will protect their rights. |
| Blake Griffin | Clippers | Restricted in 2013 | And why would the Clippers ever let him leave? |
| James Harden | Thunder | Restricted in 2013 | How much does he benefit from playing with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook? |
| Serge Ibaka | Thunder | Restricted in 2013 | Maybe the best defensive player in the NBA. |
| Nikola Pekovic | Thunder | Restricted in 2013 | Timberwolves big man coming off a breakout season. |
| Pau Gasol | Lakers | Unrestricted in 2014 | Hard to imagine him signing up for rebuilding in Charlotte. |
| Andrew Bogut | Warriors | Unrestricted in 2014 | Accomplished center who's been through injury woes. |
| Andre Iguodala | 76ers | Unrestricted in 2014 | A fine defender and team player. |
| Monta Ellis | Bucks | Unrestricted in 2014 | Posts big numbers, but does he impact winning? |
| Marcin Gortat | Suns | Unrestricted in 2014 | A late-blooming European big man; productive rebounder. |
| DeMarcus Cousins | Kings | Restricted in 2014 | A talented center, but a high-maintenance guy. |
| Greg Monroe | Pistons | Restricted in 2014 | One of the better young big men in the NBA. |
| Avery Bradley | Celtics | Restricted in 2014 | An excellent perimeter defender for the Celtics. |
