Summer of LeBron and NBA free agency begins July 1st at midnight | Thebigtip

After all the speculation and hype, the much heralded 2010 NBA free agent period begins. Arguably the best free agent class in NBA history, and perhaps the best free agent class of any sport, can begin talking to teams.

This 2010 NBA free agent class could change the NBA landscape for the next seven to eight years. Besides a possible Phil Jackson retirement, this free agent class could be the biggest obstacle to Kobe Bryant’s second three peat bid, that is if two or more free agents decide to go to the same place.

It will be interesting to see if any of these players will take less money for a chance to build a super team.

The biggest player in this free agent class is LeBron James - an out of this world talent who has not won an NBA Championship and has only played in one finals, in which he was swept by the San Antonio Spurs.

That does not mean LeBron is not a great player but he has yet to garner a championship for his beloved home state of Ohio and Cleveland. Now James could leave the Cavaliers without that championship.

James is not the only huge name in this free agent class. Dwayne Wade is one of two big named free agents with an NBA championship.

Wade has lobbied several of the big names to join him in Miami, with a transfer back to Chicago another possibility. Players that look set to join Wade at Miami are James, Chris Bosh, and Joe Johnson.

Chris Bosh seems certain to be the biggest free agent destined to leave his current team the Toronto Raptors. Bosh has stated that his future is connected to LeBron and that where the 'King' signs, will ultimately dictate where he signs.

Joe Johnson, Paul Pierce, Dirk Nowitzki, David Lee, and Rudy Gay could all end up being wild-cards if they are willing to play for less than max money. The top three players consisting of Bosh, Wade, and LeBron will more than likely gain lucrative contracts, but the stars above could give teams a possibility to win a championship if they choose to take a pay cut.

Amare Stoudemire, Tracy McGrady, and Carlos Boozer will also be major players in the free agency period. One thing that could keep teams from jumping all over Stoudemire and Boozer is that both have been injury prone.

Other players entering the twilight of their careers could also influence who goes where when the free agent period begins on July 1st. Players like Ray Allen, Shaquille O'Neal, and Jermaine O’Neal still demand attention from teams looking to build a talented roster around an established star.

There is no telling how many stars, role players, emerging stars, and aging stars could move with the sign and trade option out there for teams. Still, several NBA teams have been getting ready for the 2010 free agent period for a while now.