Kris Humphries to New Jersey Nets: Breaking Down the 2011 NBA Free Agent Signing

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Kris Humphries is headed back to New Jersey and will remain with the Nets this season.

The forward has had a very interesting offseason as a result of his connection to Kim Kardashian, but now he can finally put his attention where it belongs: basketball.

After enjoying a career season last year where he averaged a double-double, Humphries will be looking to show that it was no fluke and he's ready to enjoy a repeat performance.

He signed a one-year contract worth $8 million, and he's a very welcome sight to a front line that needed some help alongside Brook Lopez.

Humphries envisioned getting $10 million annually on a long-term contract, but that market clearly wasn’t available. The Nets have been careful about offering multiyear deals this offseason, choosing to keep salary-cap space available for the pursuit of possible free agent Dwight Howard next summer.

There's no doubt that Humphries was looking to command a contract for more than just a single season, but it should be beneficial to both sides as long as he maintains his level of production from last season and stays healthy throughout the season.

It's a gamble by Humphries to accept a short-term deal, but it's a necessary one at this stage in the game.

With teams having far more cap space available to use in 2012, Humphries will hit the open market once again and should be able to net something more in the neighborhood of what he was initially looking for when the offseason began.

If he impresses again in 2011-12, Humphries' market could be even larger than anticipated.

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