Show me the money

Who the players are in the summer of 2003

A number of star players are going to be free agents this offseason, including Nets star Jason Kidd. However, only a handful of teams have enough money to lure top-flight free agents from other teams.

Below are the seven NBA teams that could have more than $5 million available under the salary cap this offseason. This assumes that next year's salary cap is $42 million; the number will be determined by the league before July 1.

The total amount available to teams to spend the market is affected by their own free agents; this chart assumes that the teams in question will renounce the rights to most of their marginal players and backups, and notes the star players that present tougher decisions.

Free Agency: The Players
Team	Money to spend
	$35 million
The Word: The Clippers could renounce all their free agents and have enough money to sign Tim Duncan, Jason Kidd and Jermaine O'Neal. There also could be world peace, a cure for cancer and the Hawks meeting the Grizzlies in the Finals. Realistically, frugal Clips owner Donald Sterling will re-sign a couple of his restricted free agents to make sure he meets the league's minimum salary threshold, and then put the checkbook away.
	$22 million
The Word: The Nuggets won't have this much space unless they renounce their rights to Juwan Howard. Otherwise, his "cap hold" will take up half the Nuggets' space, so it will help if they reach a quick decision one way or another. The Nuggets could sign two free agents, including one for the maximum, and supposedly they have eyes for Golden State's Gilbert Arenas and the Clippers' Michael Olowokandi.
	$21 million
The Word: The Jazz' cap space depends partly on Karl Malone's plans. While he's making up his mind, there's a cap hold on the Jazz' space that will eat up about $15 million, so they can't sign anyone else until they either re-sign Malone for less money or renounce his rights. If he goes, Utah can lure one maximum contract and another for close to it; even if he stays, they'll be able to get a top-notch player, rumored to be the Clippers' Andre Miller.
	$18 million
The Word: The rich get richer. Actually, they could have $29 million in cap room, but that would require renouncing their rights to Tim Duncan, and I get a funny feeling the Spurs are reluctant to do that. The Spurs also are unlikely to renounce their rights to Speedy Claxton and Stephen Jackson, so that will cut another $2 million from their kitty and put them at $16 million. But that leaves enough to sign a superstar like Jason Kidd or Elton Brand to a max deal, re-sign Claxton and Jackson, get another quality player with the midlevel exception, and still stay well under the luxury tax threshold.
	$11 million
The Word: Party time in South Beach! Anthony Carter's mysterious decision not to opt in for another year suddenly and unexpectedly puts the Heat in position to grab a player for the max this summer. The Heat are in the same situation with Alonzo Mourning as the Jazz are with Karl Malone. They need to reach a fast decision, because a monstrous cap hold will be working against them and preventing them from signing anybody else. But it's almost a given that Mourning walks, putting the Heat in position to make a big push for Lamar Odom or Gilert Arenas.
	$7 million
The Word: Jerry Stackhouse's decision to stay cut their cap space, but it still enables them to outbid teams who have only a midlevel exception and could net them a small forward like Corey Maggette to replace Michael Jordan.
	$6 million
The Word: Cleveland is a much more desirable destination than it used to be, thanks to LeBron's arrival, but the Cavs might use their cap space to sign Carlos Boozer to an extension so he doesn't pull an Arenas on them after next season.