NBA Free Agency 2012: 10 Players Teams Should Avoid This Offseason

Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook inked new extensions, Chris Paul opted into the final year of his contract and Dwight Howard voided his early termination option. Translation: The 2012 NBA free-agency market lost depth and became a little more dangerous. 

We've all seen what happens in a shallow free-agent pool—Glen "Big Baby" Davis' contract, anyone?—and while the 2012 slate is still much deeper than 2011, there are now less options to pursue.

And when there are less players available, teams are liable to take ill-fated risks and issue unwarranted contracts.

However, by avoiding certain players on the open market, clubs can minimize their chances of experiencing the dreaded sense of buyer's remorse.

Kwame Brown, C, Unrestricted Free Agent

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 6.3 points, 0.4 assists, 6.3 rebounds, 0.0 blocks, 0.9 steals, 0.4 turnovers, 52.5 percent shooting

Kwame Brown's potential is no longer enough to eclipse the injury risk he has become.

The 30-year-old big man put up passable numbers in limited action with the Warriors before aggravating his shoulder, but his performance certainly wasn't worth the $7 million Golden State paid him. 

He has done nothing but disappoint for a decade, and now he's losing the athleticism that made him worth signing in the first place.

Bringing Brown into the fold is not the type of move that strengthens a team's roster—unless that roster is in need of a major headache, that is.

Anthony Randolph, PF, Restricted Free Agent

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 5.7 points, 0.3 assists, 2.9 rebounds, 0.4 blocks, 0.5 steals, 1.0 turnovers, 49.5 percent shooting

Anthony Randolph has been a huge disappointment since entering the NBA, and his tune hasn't changed since joining the Timberwolves last season.

Despite playing for three teams in the middle of rebuilding stages, Randolph has been unable to snag a steady rotational role. 

The power forward is a pushover on defense and still has a sense of entitlement to his demeanor. He has developed a reputation as being non-committal and has turned what was supposed to be a promising career into a disheartening tale of squandered potential.

At only 22, he still has time to get his act together, but his upside is wavering, and this summer, teams would be wise to take a page out of Randolph's book and assume a position of disinterest. 

Josh Howard, SF, Unrestricted Free Agent

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 8.7 points, 1.2 assists, 3.7 rebounds, 0.2 blocks, 0.8 steals, 1.3 turnovers, 39.7 percent shooting

The Jazz brought in Josh Howard hoping the 31-year-old could resurrect his career. 

Utah's hopes were quickly dashed and then trampled upon later when he suffered a season-ending knee injury.

Howard is averaging 8.7 points and 3.7 rebounds per game on 39.7 percent shooting. He's also just knocking down a shade over 22 percent of his three-point attempts.

Injuries sent Howard's career into a tailspin, and after his underwhelming performance through the first two-thirds of the season, it's clear a revival is not in the cards.

DeShawn Stevenson, SG, Unrestricted Free Agent

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 2.9 points, 0.8 assists, 2.0 rebounds, 0.1 blocks, 0.4 steals, 0.4 turnovers, 27.3 percent shooting

DeShawn Stevenson is known for two things: perimeter defense and unsightly tattoos.

Stevenson's tattoos haven't gone anywhere, but his effectiveness on defense has. 

The shooting guard's footwork has been lackluster, and aside from a handful of games, he has not been the prominent stopper he is known to be.

Stevenson's offensive efficiency is also at an all-time low. He has never been much of a scorer, but his 27.3 field-goal percentage is a career worst.

Unless a team is interested in distasteful ink and a ticking time-bomb of a personality, they're setting themselves up for disaster by giving Stevenson a home.

Jason Kapono, SF, Unrestricted Free Agent

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 2.0 points, 0.4 assists, 0.5 rebounds, 0.0 blocks, 0.1 steals, 0.2 turnovers, 38.2 percent shooting

The three-point specialist that was Jason Kapono is no more, and organizations should plan accordingly if considering the currently team-less small forward.

While Kapono is not the type of player you bring in expecting to make a huge impact, his sheer presence on the court handicaps a lineup on both ends of the floor.

For his entire career, Kapono's job has been to nail the long-ball. After shooting a mere 29.6 percent from behind the rainbow this season, it's clear he no longer has the lift in his legs to do his job.

Regardless of how small a role he is intended play, his complete fall-out renders him a player worth avoiding.

Hasheem Thabeet, C, Unrestricted Free Agent

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 1.4 points, 0.3 assists, 1.3 rebounds, 0.1 blocks, 0.0 steals, 0.5 turnovers, 55.1 percent shooting

Hasheem Thabeet is incredibly tall. And that right there is his only upside.

It's often premature to deem a third year player a bust, but that's just what Thabeet is. He's seen three different teams in three seasons, yet he still doesn't exude a sense of urgency.

Thabeet is ineffective on the glass, a complete non-factor on offense and has an Anthony Randolph-like laziness about him.

There's a reason the center doesn't see the floor. Signing him is committing to a project that could take years to complete, and when it's done, there's no guarantee a team would have anything to show for it. 

Maurice Evans, SF, Unrestricted Free Agent

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 3.4 points, 0.4 assists, 0.7 rebounds, 0.0 blocks, 0.4 steals, 0.4 turnovers, 38.7 percent shooting

Once upon a time, Maurice Evans was extremely athletic. He never produced at a high level, but he brought energy to the floor.

That simply isn't the case anymore.

Evans is barely able to crack a lowly Wizards rotation, and the agility and explosiveness he once had are now gone. He was never equipped to be an impact role player, but now, he's not even suitable to be a fifth body fill-in.

Anthony Tolliver, PF, Unrestricted Free Agent

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 4.5 points, 0.4 assists, 3.1 rebounds, 0.3 blocks, 0.3 steals, 0.6 turnovers, 41.6 percent shooting

Anthony Tolliver was never supposed to be a star, but he was supposed to develop into a strong role player who stretched opposing defenses and could provide some help rebounding off the bench.

He never reached his full potential, though.

Tolliver has emerged as a competent perimeter defender, but the three-point shooting he was once known for has become a weakness and he is less than aggressive on the glass.   

The power forward has gone from a promising prospect to an inconsistent tease to now a bona fide disappointment—the kind of disappointment teams must avoid once he hits the open market.

Mehmet Okur, C, Unrestricted Free Agent

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 7.6 points, 1.8 assists, 4.8 rebounds, 0.3 blocks, 0.5 steals, 0.5 turnovers, 37.4 percent shooting

Mehmet Okur is not the Mehmet Okur of three years ago, and he never will be.

Okur was never known for his athleticism or defense, but he could score and help spread the floor. He was also great at finishing off the pick-and-roll and could even step back and hit the three.

After tearing his Achilles tendon, though, Okur was never the same. He has lost his low post moves and no longer has the necessary lift under his jumper to hit it consistently. And his defense is disastrous as ever.

At this point, resurrecting his career isn't in the cards, and teams would be wise to resist taking a gamble on him.

Andres Nocioni, F, Unrestricted Free Agent

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 1.5 points, 0.1 assists, 1.3 rebounds, 0.1 blocks, 0.1 steals, 0.5 turnovers, 25.0 percent shooting

While with the Bulls, and for a brief time with the Kings, Andres Nocioni appeared to be on the cusp of stardom. But then he suffered multiple injuries—most notably his ankle in 2010 while in FIBA training camp—and a new reality set in.

At his height, Nocioni was extremely versatile. He could score from anywhere on the floor and could defend all five positions.

Now, however, the forward lacks the necessary mobility it takes not only to defend well, but to create his own offense. His release from the Sixers is only a small indication of how much of a non-factor he has become. 

Nocioni isn't a "buyer beware" type of prospect but rather an "avoid at all costs" caliber of player.

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