STIFF #1: COLORADO ROCKIES
The Rox have lost eight of their last 10, including six in a row. During the six-game losing streak Colorado has been outscored 33-13 ... and they might soon be the reason by buddy Rory has a massive heart-attack. But there are still 63 games to go and an upcoming eight-game homestand is hopefully just what the team, and Rory, needs to turn things around.
STIFF #2: MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES/DAVID KAHN
Replacing a 24 year-old point guard with a 29 year-old point guard is just a sound NBA move ... uh? Kahn handed Ramon Sessions a 4-year $16 million contract last offseason and just gave the same deal to Luke Ridnour this offseason. In order to make room for Ridnour, Kahn shipped Sessions and young big man Ryan Hollins off to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Delonte West (who is still facing weapons-possession charges). Maybe Ricky Rubio will get to the T-Wolves before Ridnour's contract expires, but don't count on it.
STIFF #3: TRACY MCGRADY
McGrady has been shopping his services this offseason and after getting nibbles from the Lakers, Clippers, and most recently the Bulls ... T-Mac is still without an employer. The 31 year-old guard, with a rich injury history, apparently is not ready to accept a reduced role. Will McGrady's stubborness land him on a lottery team where he'll try to prove he can still be "the man" or will he accept being a role player and wind up in Chicago gunning for that elusive title?
STIFF #4: DANNY AINGE
The Celtics did lose defensive ace Tony Allen to the Memphis Grizzlies, but re-signing Marquis Daniels to a one-year $2.5 million deal is a little crazy. Daniels should be thanking agent Mark Bartelstein ... maybe the rapper can sing his agent a song. (Daniels is in the yellow shirt in the video)
STIFF #5: NUGGETS SLEEPING ON SIZE
The Nuggets decided to bring back Anthony Carter on a one-year $1.3 million deal. Do the Nuggets really need a third point guard heading into training camp over another big body? Check out some names still on the free-agent market: Louis Amundson (yes he'll require more money), Fabricio Oberto, Kwame Brown, Anthony Tolliver, DJ Mbenga, Nathan Jawai, Josh Boone, Kyrylo Fesenko, and Joey Graham. Denver still has the bi-annual exception to spend ... so maybe there is still hope of grabbing somebody.