In a baskeball scoreboards feature, I have taken a look at Carmelo Anthony and Yao Ming, 2 free agents that are of interest in 2011.

In 2010, we saw several key players being freed into the wild again i.e. the caps on their contracts ran out and they were free to either keep playing for their current team or find new ones with better contracts. However, the top tier players i.e. LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade showed that it is not always about the money. These players left money on the table only to be able to play on the same team: Miami Heat (OK, I’m joking about LeBron!). Needless to say, the Heats will heat the courts with the trio in their wings. Now, the problem is there aren’t many of those big name players left, so the light falls on the next top free agents that will be up for grabs in 2011. Here are the top 2 basketball scoreboards free agents currently roaming the markets.

1 – Carmelo Anthony – there is no doubt that Carmelo is very talented and he is getting restless for a more visible team. The Nuggets are aware of it because Melo feels his talents are whilst, not exactly being wasted, are not being showcased to their fullest potential either. In an effort to make him stay after he becomes a free agent in the offseason, they are willing to surround Melo with great talent such as Chris Andersen and Ty Lawson. They are also thinking of offering him a bigger and better deal. Even then, let’s face it – Melo is not going to stay; he is just biding his time untill he becomes a free agent, and the Knicks are already circling him. They have made plays for him already but every time the Nuggets have turned them down, so now they have to wait untill offseason to get a shot at Melo.

Yao Ming – Ming is one of the better players in basketball today, but he hasn’t had luck on his side lately. His recent left ankle surgery has left him in a dire fix. He was an integral part of the Rockets, but they have been doing just fine in Ming’s absence as well. This is why Ming is having doubts about whether to continue playing with the Rockets or leave, because now that the Rockets have figured out a way to do fine without him, he realises they might not need him in the long haul. However, he feels obligated to give the Rockets another shot because they have been awfully patient with him, and by chucking Tracy McGrady out and keeping Chuck Hayes as their center, these could still be a spot for Ming after all. And when all is said and done, it doesn’t do him good that his contract is easily tradable as well.

For more information on Yao Ming, go to:
en.wikipedia.org