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A visual comes to mind as it relates to the most unique of NBA free-agency periods that has unofficially begun. Picture a pool surrounded by the league's general managers and owners, all of them turning left and right to see what the other is doing while peering down at the water with a shared look of trepidation.
This is a pool party, after all, so someone will have to jump. But with big men Nene, Tyson Chandler and Marc Gasol waiting for them in the deep end and the talent level of free agents so shallow compared to last year's class led by LeBron James, no one is in the mood for a cannonball just yet.
"I think what you're seeing is that nobody considers anyone in this free-agent market to be a clear-cut, franchise guy that we have to do everything within our power to get," said one agent with a client near the top of the mediocre mix. "No one wants to be the first to give that stupid, crazy contract and have that article saying what a sham the lockout was."
As a result, the third day of talks between agents and teams came and went without any major news of a big-name player leaning hard in the direction of a particular team. While oral or signed agreements are not allowed until Dec. 9, after the tentative collective bargaining agreement is ratified, a mutual understanding of some sort is still possible. But the pace has been even slower than expected.
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