NBA Free Agents 2012: Ranking Top 5 Players at Each Position

This Sunday, just a few days after the NBA draft, the next best part of the basketball offseason begins.  That's right, fans, I'm talking about NBA free agency.  In just a few short days, A-list players like Steve Nash (pictured), Deron Williams and many others will hit the open market in search of their next contracts.

However, let's not assume that these two are going to be the only players that teams are targeting.  Each team has different needs, and if said needs couldn't be filled in the draft, then the free agent market is the next best place to look.

In fact, let's go through all five positions and look at the five best options available at each this summer.

No. 5 Center: Omer Asik

Asik's value is hard to figure out, as he has only spent two years in the league and has never gotten significant minutes (just 13.2 per game for his career).  And yet, he finds himself a restricted free agent this summer.

Yet, the fact remains that Asik has great size for a big man at 7'0", 255 pounds.  Apparently, according to Ben Watanabe of NESN.com, the Boston Celtics have some interest in him. 

They and other teams need a true center, so it wouldn't be surprising if Asik's size is what earns him a new contract.

No. 5 Power Forward: Ryan Anderson

Also a restricted free agent, Anderson is the reigning NBA Most Improved Player and is definitely going to get a big contract this summer.  He isn't a conventional power forward, in that he's more of a shooter than inside presence, but his skills are undeniable.

With his ability to change the game with one shot, he will make the fans very happy next year—be it in Orlando or somewhere else.

No. 5 Small Forward: C.J. Miles

Miles, a score-first forward, is one of the most inconsistent players in the NBA.  Yet when he's on, he is ON.

That said, it's hard to believe that there won't be at least one team that can look past his flaws and take a chance on him.

No. 5 Shooting Guard: O.J. Mayo

Mayo is going to have one job next year, wherever he plays: shoot, shoot and shoot some more.  In his brief NBA career, just four years old, he has shot an astounding 37 percent from three-point range.

Be it in the starting lineup or off the bench, he will be a solid contributor wherever he goes.

No. 5 Point Guard: Jeremy Lin

As much as we all went nuts over Linsanity, putting a number on the Harvard grad's overall value is easier said than done.  Sure, he did great once inserted into the starting lineup last year and proved to be a decent scorer and passer, and he was good on defense too.

Still, when it comes to this restricted free agent who just got his early-bird rights, other teams that look to sign him may shy away not only because of the recent decision, but also because of his 3.6 turnovers per game last year.

No. 4 Center: Brook Lopez

For someone 7'0", 265 pounds, Lopez plays more like a scorer than he does a center.  For his career, he has averaged 17.4 points compared to just 7.5 rebounds.

Still, the fact remains that he's a big body in the middle and has long arms that are great for blocking shots.  Also in terms of scoring points, he has proven to be very reliable.

No. 4 Power Forward: Kevin Garnett

A seasoned veteran with tons of playoff experience, Garnett still has some value despite being on the old side of 36.  His jumper is still solid, and he can pull down rebounds as an effective inside presence.

Yet, as has been the case since he started with the Boston Celtics five years ago, staying healthy is a constant concern for Garnett. 

If teams can look past that and view him as a veteran leader, then he should be able to continue his Hall-of-Fame career with ease.

No. 4 Small Forward: Carlos Delfino

Though his health is a giant question mark, Delfino has proven to be reliable when healthy.  Besides being an effective three-point threat, having shot 36 percent from downtown for his career, he is also an absolute pest on defense.

Given how much of a threat he can be on both sides of the court, teams would be foolish not to offer him at least a two-year deal.

No. 4 Shooting Guard: Jamal Crawford

Though he had an off 2011-2012 campaign, Crawford is still one of the most effective shooters in the game.  He won the 2010 Sixth Man of the Year Award when he averaged 18 points per game off the bench for the Atlanta Hawks.

With a game as explosive as his, he'll definitely find a contract without a problem.

No. 4 Point Guard: Raymond Felton

Felton had an off-year for Portland last year, averaging just 11.4 points and 6.5 assists.  Yet, it's a bit unfair to say that his season was a flop, partly because one of the reasons he did so well the season before was due to his being in a fast-paced Mike D'Antoni offense.

If he can find a similar environment, then the critics should be silent.  If he can't find that type of team interested in him, then he's still talented enough to make a positive impact elsewhere.

No. 3 Center: Javale McGee

McGee has the size and talent to be a dominant NBA center, but his maturity problems have prevented him from becoming so thus far.  He's a restricted free agent and depending on what the Denver Nuggets decide to do in their pursuit of him, it's hard to say what kind of offers he'll get.

Sure, the skills are there, but is he really worth the headache?

No. 3 Power Forward: Ersan Ilyasova

Ilyasova broke out this season, averaging career highs in points, rebounds and field goal percentage.  It was the perfect time for him to do so, as he is now an unrestricted free agent.

At just 25 years old and with his potential only just starting to blossom, count on him getting a lucrative deal in the coming days.

No. 3 Small Forward: Michael Beasley

Though 6'10" and 235 pounds, Beasley is a shooter with an uncertain future.  He averaged career lows in points, minutes, rebounds and field goal percentage last year, but his scoring ability is unquestionable.

If a team needs someone who can put points on the board in a short amount of time, chances are they'll toss an offer Beasley's way.

No. 3 Shooting Guard: Jason Terry

Like Jamal Crawford, Terry is a shooter who can have an explosive impact when coming off the bench.  The 13-year veteran has averaged 16.1 points for his career and has made an incredible 38 percent of his threes.

That said, it's safe to say that he'll receive quite a few lucrative offers despite the fact that he turns 35 before the start of next season.

No. 3 Point Guard: Jason Kidd

At age 39, Kidd is no longer the triple threat he was in the prime of his career.  Still, he remains one of the greatest leaders in the game and can make the occasional clutch three-pointer. 

He has assumed an almost Derek Fisher-like role in getting his team's stars the ball and letting them take over instead of carrying the team on his own back like he used to do.

His time in the NBA is almost through, and it's likely that his next contract will be his last.  Wherever he goes, he'll definitely bring positive vibes along with him.

No. 2 Center: Chris Kaman

Health and durability have always been an issue with Kaman throughout his career.  Yet, when he's at 100 percent, the man is a triple threat at the center position.

He can score, rebound and block shots with tremendous ability when healthy, so he's definitely worth taking a chance on this offseason.

No. 2 Power Forward: Kris Humphries

He may seem small at 6'9", 235 pounds, but Humphries is one of the most aggressive and dominant power forwards in the game.  He literally goes after every potential rebound and thus has turned himself into a double-double machine a la David Lee of the Golden State Warriors.

Humphries had a career season last year, putting up personal bests in both scoring and rebounding.  At just 27 years of age, he definitely has a long-term deal headed his way.

No. 2 Small Forward: Nicolas Batum

Batum is just 23 years old, and he's slowly turning into an effective scoring forward.  He averaged a career best 13.9 points per game last year and also shot an incredible 39 percent from beyond the arc.

Out of all the restricted free agents of this year's class, definitely count on him to get one of the biggest offers.  He drives hard to the basket and can consistently make shots, so he certainly has earned it.

No. 2 Shooting Guard: Ray Allen

Allen is definitely in the twilight of his NBA career, as he turns 37 in just a few weeks.  Yet, when it comes to clutch shooting, he's still the go-to guy.

Here is a man who shot 45 percent from three-point land this past season and has shot 40 percent from long range for his entire career.  On top of that, he is a phenomenal leader and positive locker room presence.  Despite his age, he is definitely a candidate for a multi-year deal.

No. 2 Point Guard: Steve Nash

Now that LeBron James has his ring, Steve Nash is probably the best NBA player to never have won a championship. 

Even at age 38, he is still one of the game's top passers and finished second in that category this past season with 10.7 assists per game.  Adding onto that, he is one of the most consistent scorers in the NBA, having shot 49 percent from the floor for his career.

He supposedly wants a three-year deal and given how consistent he has been in spite of his age, chances are he will get one and maybe even an option for a fourth year.

No. 1 Center: Roy Hibbert

In his fourth NBA season, Hibbert finally broke out.  He averaged career highs in all major categories and did a great job of demanding the ball under the basket.  The former Georgetown Hoya becomes a restricted free agent on July 1, and he'll surely receive some nice-looking offers from teams in search of a dominant center.

In my opinion, we've only seen the tip of the iceberg in terms of how much Hibbert can really do.  He has great size at 7'2", 260 pounds and could also be an incredible scoring center as well as a defensive beast. 

Once the offers come flying in for him, it will be interesting to see what step he takes as the next phase of his career begins.

No. 1 Power Forward: Tim Duncan

Duncan is definitely getting up there in NBA years at age 36, but he still does his job well.  He isn't the automatic 20 and 10 player he was in the prime of his career, but he still plays his heart out night after night and is probably the best leader in the NBA today.

More importantly, Duncan is just a standup guy in general.  Instead of moving away from the aging San Antonio Spurs and trying to win another title on a younger team, he has every intention of staying. 

It's unclear just how much longer he'll play, but in terms of everything a coach looks for in a player, Duncan is the epitome of just that.

No. 1 Small Forward: Gerald Wallace

For someone just 6'7", 220 pounds, Wallace plays with the tenacity of someone much bigger.  He can score the ball well, is an incredible rebounder and when it comes to playing defense, he is probably the type of player that opposing coaches have nightmares about.

Wallace is also still young, which works incredibly to his advantage.  He turns 30 in July, and once the point forward market is better defined, he will probably be the first one to sign.  Whoever lands him will instantly see themselves rise in the standings.

No. 1 Shooting Guard: Eric Gordon

This past season was a bit of a fluke for Gordon as injuries limited him to a mere nine games.  Still, the former Indiana Hoosier made the most of those games and was an absolute scoring beast.  In that short amount of time, he averaged 20.6 points per game and shot 45 percent from the field.

That said, this restricted free agent's future could go in a number of directions. 

The New Orleans Hornets have a new owner in Tom Benson, who brings in a lot of money to burn, so they most likely could match any other team's offer quite easily.  Combined with eventual No. 1 pick Anthony Davis, Gordon could be one of the faces of a franchise bound to improve going into next season.

Still, if he does leave, whichever team lures him away from The Big Easy will become extremely lucky overnight.

No. 1 Point Guard: Deron Williams

In professional basketball, a rare and hot commodity is a point guard who scores points just as well as he passes the ball.  Deron Williams falls right into this category, having averaged 17.6 points and 9.2 assists for his career.  Once his free agency begins, it'll be interesting to see how many teams actually pursue him.

You see, Williams only has two teams on his radar: the Brooklyn Nets or Dallas Mavericks.  Both could really use him next year, as the Nets are pretty much screwed without him, and the Mavs could use a point guard who can help forward Dirk Nowitzki shoulder some of the scoring load.

In what is sure to be one hell of a free agency season, it's a safe bet that quite a few players won't make any decisions until Williams makes his.