Summer's best, worst deals

In what might have been the most compelling offseason in NBA history, the Heat's power trio got all the attention. But how did the rest of the league do in choosing among the free agents in the class of 2010? Insider contributor Tom Haberstroh spotlights the summer's biggest winners and losers by position.

POINT GUARD

Steal -- Raymond Felton

New York Knicks, two years, $15.8 million (unguaranteed third year)

Felton

The Knicks signed the premier point guard on the market for two guaranteed years, and seven inferior point guards have signed elsewhere for longer deals. That's a big win for New York, which has positioned itself in the Chris Paul sweepstakes should he stick it out in New Orleans until he hits free agency in 2012. The contract is small enough that a buyout wouldn't hinder the Knicks from netting Paul in a trade before then.

Felton hasn't been able to step on the gas since leaving Chapel Hill, but he'll have plenty of freedom to push the ball in Mike D'Antoni's offense. Just 26 years old, Felton still has time to bloom as a player (he ranks merely average as a pick-and-roll ball handler according to Synergy Sports Technology). A career year might be in store, especially if Felton can maintain his torrid 3-point shooting from last season.

Overpay -- Luke Ridnour

Minnesota Timberwolves, four years, $16 million

Ridnour

Paying Ridnour $4 million a year to start? Not a bad idea. Paying Ridnour $4 million to back up a backup? Horrible idea. And that's before we bring Ricky Rubio into the picture. Minnesota GM David Kahn signing Ridnour for $16 million is as superfluous as any deal this summer.

As it stands, the former Oregon standout will spar with Ramon Sessions for minutes behind Jonny Flynn, who curiously started every single game of his rookie season. Sessions has proved to be a more capable show runner in the triangle offense than shot-hungry Flynn but looks to be the odd one out. There's almost no chance Ridnour will repeat his .570 TSP (true shooting percentage) from last season, seeing as his previous high was .509 in 2006-07.

To read the rest of Tom Haberstroh's analysis, including the hands-down best value pickup of the summer, you must be an ESPN Insider.

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Tom Haberstroh

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• ESPN.com NBA contributor since 2010
• Started at ESPN in 2008
• 2008 graduate of Wake Forest University