NBA Free Agents 2011: 5 Biggest Game Changers on the Market This Summer

Well, folks, the NBA lockout is still going on. That means until a new labor agreement is ratified, the NBA and its operations are pretty much at a standstill. 

To that, I have to say one thing: so what???

Just as I have with the NFL, I'm not going to let a lockout get in the way of me discussing one of my favorite parts of any offseason. What I'm talking about, of course, is free agency.

This year's NBA free-agency class, while not as epic as the one we'll have next offseason, is still a good one.  We have great guards, big men and even swingmen who may change teams.  Instead, I'd like to focus on game changers.

In the NBA, a game changer is a player who can basically contribute to the outcome of the game in one or two plays. It could be a blocked shot, three-pointer, steal or even a simple jumper.

One of the key game changers of this year's free-agency class is Jamal Crawford (pictured), who has been known to put the team on his back and be threatening from any spot on the hardwood.

That being said, here are the five top NBA game changers of this year's free-agency class.

No. 5: Shane Battier

Now, Shane Battier isn't a game changer in the sense that he'll consistently shoot the opposition's lights out, nor is he going to be a Shaq-like force on defense.  Rather, Battier is a game changer in the fact that he isn't flashy on the court.

Opposing defenses don't expect him to do much. Then, he hits them where it hurts.

Battier's game is easily the most subtle in the NBA. Just when people expect him to be a non-factor, he'll stun them with an electrifying three-point shot during which he was wide open. When he's not doing that, he'll sneak up behind a player going for a layup and unleash a powerful blocked shot.

Also, not only is Battier a game changer, but a team changer. 

His return to the Memphis Grizzlies this season was instrumental in the team making the playoffs.  Without his leadership, the young squad wouldn't have had a chance against the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs. 

That being said, Battier is the perfect man to kick off this list.

No. 4: Jason Richardson

Say what you want about his game being one-sided—the fact that he's played for three different teams in four years or the fact that he's just a little overrated. The fact remains that Jason Richardson is still one of the most electrifying shooters in the NBA.

Let's not forget that after starring for Tom Izzo at Michigan State, the man known as J-Rich was taken with the No. 5 pick by the Golden State Warriors in the 2001 NBA draft. He spent six years with the Warriors and became a star shooter.

Yet, while his amazing shooting skills have been known to change a game, Richardson is also known to adjust the tempo of matchups with something that all NBA fans love—an electrifying dunk.

Let's not forget that Richardson won back-to-back Slam Dunk Contests in 2002 and 2003.  For those who are on the fence as to his dunking skills, they may view a clip of them here

No. 3: Marcus Thornton

Marcus Thornton, for the first half of last season, was essentially a non-factor. He appeared in 46 games for the New Orleans Hornets, averaging 7.8 points in 16.2 minutes per game. Then, he was traded to the Sacramento Kings.

Once on his new team, Thornton became an electrifying player who could change the game with either a long three-pointer or a fancy drive to the basket. In 27 games with the Kings, he averaged 21.3 points and is sure to get a big payday on his next contract.

With the Kings looking to improve with Jimmer Fredette and DeMarcus Cousins, retaining Thornton is essential. He proved in his short time with the Kings last season that he has no problem putting the team on his back and taking control of the offense.

Thus, he gets No. 3 on this list.

No. 2: Jamal Crawford

Jamal Crawford is one of the most dangerous players in the NBA. He doesn't play overwhelming defense and isn't really what one would call a great athlete.  Rather, he is dangerous for another reason—he can seriously get the ball in the hoop from anywhere on the court.

Want to know the crazy part? Crawford isn't even a starter!

Over his last two seasons, both spent with the Atlanta Hawks, Crawford has averaged 16.1 points per game coming off the bench. In 2010, he won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award as he proved to be a dangerous scoring threat off the bench.

While Crawford's scoring is all well and good, it's his unpredictability that makes him such a great game-changer. Whenever watching him, one never knows if he's going to take control of the game by driving through the lane to draw a foul or just make one three-pointer after another.

With his balanced offensive game and willingness to be the alpha-dog on the court, Crawford is the perfect No. 2 man.

Which leads us to No. 1...

No. 1: JJ Barea

Call me crazy, but JJ Barea was the difference maker for the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals.  Once inserted into the starting lineup for the final three games, he turned on the afterburners.

Over the course of those three games, he averaged 13.3 points and made 50 percent of his three-pointers.  With his impending free agency, team management simply must find a way to retain him.

Like Crawford, Barea is dangerous simply because one never knows where he is going to strike. He might drive to the basket for a reverse layup, or he might find himself wide open for a three-point shot. On top of that, his size and speed make him so hard to defend. Thus, guarding him is essentially a game of pick your poison.

Given how his game-changing abilities earned him and his teammates a championship ring, JJ Barea is easily the No. 1 man in this department.