2012 NBA Free Agency: Top 5 Winners in Free Agency

2012 NBA Free Agency – Top 5 Winners in Free Agency: While Dwight Howard remains the biggest prize that teams continue to fight over, plenty has happened during the NBA’s free agency period. In fact, several franchises have made moves that will dramatically improve their chances of competing in the upcoming season. For some teams, their offseason acquisitions will transform them from doormats to playoff contenders. For other teams, their moves will give them a realistic shot at competing for a title. Either way, bettors need to know which teams are on the rise before they start placing future bets on next year’s NBA champs, as well as division and conference winners.

2012 NBA Free Agency: Top 5 Winners in Free Agency

1.      Los Angeles Lakers

They gave up a lot of draft picks to get Steve Nash, but let’s face it. The Lakers future is shaky at best once Kobe Bryant retires anyway, and in the meantime, the addition of Nash makes Los Angeles a title contender for the next three years. Sure, Bryant will have to adjust to life without the ball in his hand all the time, but in the end, the five-time champ just wants to win. Nash makes life easier for everyone around him, and he will keep everyone involved and engaged. He also gives the Lakers an actual offensive threat at the point guard position. It won’t quite be the Showtime Lakers, but the offense will be much improved.

2.      Miami Heat

Fresh off an NBA championship, the Miami Heat have actually gotten better during free agency. Pat Riley worked his recruiting magic and lured sharpshooter Ray Allen away from the Boston Celtics despite only being able to offer about half the salary. Any team that wants to double team LeBron James and Dwyane Wade when they drive the lane is going to have 3-pointers rained upon them from the most-prolific 3-point artist in NBA history. As if Miami needed more perimeter firepower than Allen, the Heat also snagged Rashard Lewis. Sure, Lewis is long past his days as a dominant scorer, but he can still knock down an open 3-point attempt. With Allen and Lewis in the mix, it is tough to bet against a repeat from James and company.

3.      Dallas Mavericks

For a team that saw long-time starters Jason Kidd and Jason Terry leave town and missed out on the Deron Williams sweepstakes, the Mavericks have still made the most of the free agency period. Dallas added the unspectacular but serviceable Darren Collison at point guard and bolstered a weak frontcourt by adding center Chris Kaman and Elton Brand. All three players are reliable NBA starters, and Brand and Kaman actually give Dallas the best low-post scoring threats the franchise has had in recent memory. When teamed with Dirk Nowitzki, the trio should give Dallas more than enough talent to be competitive in the Western Conference. Best of all, all three newcomers are under contract for just one year, meaning the Mavericks will have plenty of cap space to go after big name free agents like Chris Paul in 2013.

4.      Brooklyn Nets

Talk about a backcourt upgrade. Brooklyn managed to resign coveted point guard Deron Williams and then worked a trade for shooting guard Joe Johnson. I’ll be the first to admit that I am not a huge fan of Johnson. He doesn’t get to the foul line, and he is essentially a high-priced jump shooter. That being said, he can score 20 points per night in his sleep, and playing alongside Williams, he doesn’t have to be a closer. The Nets did fail to work a deal for center Dwight Howard, but settling for Brook Lopez isn’t all bad. No, Lopez isn’t anywhere near the player Howard is, but there are 20 teams that would love to be stuck with Lopez at center. Add it up, and Brooklyn went from a bottom feeder to a lock to make the playoffs in a weak Eastern Conference.

5.      New Orleans Hornets

New Orleans is rebuilding its franchise so it might be a couple of years before the Hornets become a playoff contender, but signing big man Ryan Anderson was a great move for a variety of reasons. He is one of the best 3-point shooters in the NBA, and he is a matchup nightmare on the perimeter because of his height. His ability to stretch the floor will fit perfectly with Austin Rivers’ ability to attack the rim, and he will prevent defenses from focusing solely on Eric Gordon. He is a below average post defender, but with Anthony Davis patrolling the paint, Anderson doesn’t have to be an enforcer. A starting five that features Davis, Rivers, Gordon and Anderson will be winning games sooner rather than later.

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