NBA Free Agency 2012: Lou Williams and Best Shooters on the Market

While the 2012 free agency period has already started, teams will not be allowed to officially sign their new stars until July 11.

With that said, teams have more time to get the offers ready to present to the league’s best shooters like Lou Williams, Ray Allen and Jason Terry. Every team needs a good sniper.

All of the following players can hit clutch three pointers and their mid-range jumpers are solid. While they’re not all young, you don’t have to be full of youth to know how to hit big shots.

As a matter of fact, experience is what makes these guys great.

Lou Williams

At 25-years-old, Lou Williams is the best long-term answer for a budding team looking for a bench player that can come on when needed and hit the big shots.

Last year with the Philadelphia 76ers, Williams led the team in scoring despite coming off the bench. While he isn’t the best pure shooter on the market, the star can make his own shots and get open when needed.

With plenty of years left in the tank, Williams is the kind of player that could turn a team on the cusp of a championship into a serious NBA title favorite.

Ray Allen

The Boston Celtics don’t want to lose their primary sniper to free agency, but a bidding war may force Ray Allen to test the waters and eventually walk away.

No matter where Allen suits up next year, that team will be getting an excellent role player in the twilight of his career. The veteran is so unselfish that I could even see Allen taking on the role of a bench player on a deep enough team.

The shooting guard has made his living on the three-point line, but the wear and tear of a long NBA career has set him up for the chance to be a clutch role player.

Who wouldn’t want Allen as a possible sixth man or even just a bench shooter?

Jason Terry

While Jason Terry is going to be 35-years-old in September, there is little doubt that the JET is one of the best shooters in the NBA. The man knows how to find his spot and get open.

Terry is another player whose ego will not ruin his new team’s chances of winning a championship, and his unselfishness is what made his former teams realize his bench presence is a great secret weapon.

Look for teams like Boston and Miami that are going after Ray Allen to look at Terry as their backup plan in case it doesn’t work out. With a dangerous shot, Terry on the Miami Heat would be a scary proposition for the rest of the Eastern Conference.

Check back for more on the National Basketball Association as it comes, and don’t miss Bleacher Report’s NBA page to get your fill of all things basketball.

Follow @Donald_Wood