2012 NBA Free Agency: 7 Massive Gambles Teams Must Take

With Dwight Howard and Chris Paul both opting to exercise their player option for next year, there is now only one "sure-fire" free agent on the market. The rest come with a gamble. 

With any gamble there are two possibilities, either things work out or they don't. Simple enough?

With each of the following players there is a huge upside and a huge downside. The players could be a huge help to the team in question, or they could end up just being a salary drain for the next four years. Gamble or no, though, these teams should take the gamble. It's better to try and fail than to never try at all. 

Phoenix Suns: Aaron Brooks

Aaron Brooks has, at times, looked every bit like he could be a starting-caliber NBA point guard. In his limited time with Phoenix he put up nice per-36 minute numbers, averaging 18 points and eight assists. If that continues upon his return, the Suns could have a nice transition to a new era sans Steve Nash. 

The problem is whether he'll be able to pick up where he left off. He didn't play in the NBA at all this year due to his obligations in China. The lost year could see his production decline. Still, if worst comes to worst, the Suns are better in the long run if they let Nash go. If they get worse, they'll eventually get better. 

Orlando Magic: Antawn Jamison

Antawn Jamison might not be getting much attention in Cleveland but he is very quietly still having a nice sunset to his career, where he's averaging 17.5 points and 7.5 boards at 35. His contract is over and he'll be looking for a place where he can chase a ring. 

Meanwhile, he'd make a nice fit in Orlando. He can still put the ball on the floor. He would give Orlando what they desperately need, a wing who can get to the rim. He'd probably sign for the minimum or close to it if he thought it might win a ring. 

Chicago Bulls: Ray Allen

After the Rip Hamilton experiment has been working out so well for the Bulls, with Hamilton already having missed more than half the season, the Bulls might understandably shun the notion of going after another senior citizen to solve the shooting guard issues. 

Still, Allen is in great shape, shoots as well as ever (actually his best two years for his effective field-goal percentage are the last two years) and stays reasonably healthy. 

His game is similar to Hamilton's in that he runs around a lot of screens, spots up extremely well and already knows Tom Thibodeau's offense. He may be willing to take less in order to have a real chance at a championship. 

Miami Heat: Kevin Garnett

Kevin Garnett has been playing some center of late. While he's not what he once was, he's still a quality NBA player, and filling in the middle for the Miami Heat would fill two needs. 

First, it would give the Heat a big inside presence who can contend for rebounds and provide elite interior defense. Second, and perhaps more importantly, it would give the Heat a bit of a jerk factor.

The Heat have one essential problem. The big three are actually pretty nice guys. They need a bona fide jerk. They need that guy that knows how to hate. The reason they go through these lulls like they are going through right now is they just aren't angry enough. 

Garnett would give them that edge they need. 

Boston Celtics: O.J. Mayo

With all these Celitcs going everywhere, Boston is going to need someone to come in and help Rajon Rondo and Paul Pierce put the points on the board. O.J. Mayo, a.k.a Double Condiment, has never found his way into the starting rotation of the Memphis Grizzlies, but perhaps he could in Boston. 

Boston would be greatly helped by a player who can really light things up if Mayo ever reaches his potential. Having a young player to get excited about would be nice too. 

Perhaps best of all, Boston could have a nice "starting four" for when Howard really does become a free agent finally. With Rondo, Pierce, the returning Jeff Green and Mayo, Howard could look at that team as a group where he could "be the man" and yet have enough surrounding talent to win a ring. 

The gamble here is they would have to "overpay" for Mayo to keep the Grizzlies from matching, as he is a restricted free agent. 

Houston Rockets: Roy Hibbert

Plopping down a lot of money on a restricted free agent always comes with a risk. If the team matches then everyone else gets yanked up while you're waiting to hear back on whether the original team matches the offer. 

Houston has been desperate for a starting center of the future since the retirement of Yao Ming. Roy Hibbert might not be an elite NBA center, but he is a decent one, averaging 13 points and nine boards per game. His defense is about the same as his offense, above average but not great. 

The Rockets need to overpay to land Hibbert and get their center for the future. They'll be overpaying to get him but they'll have a real center for the future. The gamble is that the Pacers match, but it's a gamble they have to take. 

Indiana Pacers: Eric Gordon

The Indiana Pacers need to roll the dice on Eric Gordon. He is a gamble in two directions. First, there's the possibility that the Hornets match whatever offer the Pacers make, which means that the Pacers will have to overpay to get him. 

On top of that, Gordon has missed virtually the entire season because of injuries. 

In spite of these two huge risks, Gordon is still arguably the best young (operative word here being young) shooting guard in the NBA. 

The Pacers are close to being a championship contender and Gordon, should he remain healthy and develop to his full potential, could be the one that puts them over the top.