NBA Free Agency 2012: Biggest Red-Flag Free Agents

With the NBA's free agent shopping spree in full swing, fans, players, agents, owners and of course, the media have been treated to a smorgasbord of news, signings and rumors. 

Not all free agents are created equal. 

Some, such as superstar point guard Deron Williams are top players, and in turn they will receive, or already have received, massive contracts.

Most free agents don't inspire the same sort of confidence that Deron Williams does. 

For various reasons free agents carry risk. Sometimes that risk comes in the form of age. Sometimes, it's injuries. Sometimes, it's a limited resume or maturity or off-court issues. 

Whatever the reason, some free-agents will come with a red flag or a set of warning signs. 

The guys in this slideshow all have those red flags attached to them.

Ramon Sessions

Ramon Sessions isn't old, and he hasn't spent his career battling various injuries. 

He's a player who has spent most of his career as a backup point guard. He's been very good at it, as well. 

Sessions has bounced around the NBA, from Milwaukee, to Minnesota, and then to Cleveland over the first four-and-a-half seasons of his NBA career. 

At each stop he had been a back-up point guard. In Cleveland, he played well enough to earn a few starts and put up some decent numbers. 

His somewhat successful stint in Cleveland was probably a part of the reason why the Los Angeles Lakers made a deadline deal to acquire Sessions in March of 2012. 

Once in Los Angeles, Sessions took only a few games to assume the starting duties. 

Sessions played well, but struggled once the playoffs started. His points declined, along with his shooting percentages.

The Lakers looked overwhelmed in the playoffs. And while that wasn't Sessions' fault, as the starting point guard, he looked powerless to change that unfortunate circumstance. 

Now he's a free agent. Teams that are looking at Sessions may want to ask themselves exactly what their expectations are for their starting point guard, and for their team as well.

Sessions seems adequate for a team hoping to just make the postseason, but he proved last year that he may not be ready to lead a team on a deep playoff run.

If a team's goal next season is to win a ring, Sessions might not be the best option.  

Marcus Camby

There are very few questions regarding what Marcus Camby will bring to whatever NBA team signs the free agent.

Camby will provide limited offense, but excel at rebounding and blocking shots.

Adding to Camby's value is that he's aware of his limitations on offense. He doesn't take a ton of shots, he plays to his strengths and does a nice job of trying to minimize his weaknesses.

That's the type of on-court savvy that is learned with age and experience.

Unfortunately, age and experience also bring something else: injuries.

Camby has struggled with his health the last few seasons. He hasn't suffered major injuries, but nagging ones have popped up frequently, and they limit his minutes and appearances.

When he's healthy, Camby can be a very valuable backup center. The issue is keeping him healthy and on the court. All that ability doesn't help a team when it is sitting on the bench.  

O.J. Mayo

O.J. Mayo is young, talented and healthy. So what's the problem? 

Ask the Memphis Grizzlies or the USC Trojans.

Those are the two teams Mayo has played for since he left high school as one of the Nation's top recruits in 2007.

Mayo's talent and ability have never been the problem. It's Mayo's off-court issues that have become the personal calling card he never wanted. 

His recruitment to USC ultimately cost the program dearly.

At Memphis, he's had his off-court transgressions as well.

It's not as if his on-court presence has led to success either. USC didn't win with Mayo, and due in large part to the sanctions they incurred after he left, they haven't been great since. 

Memphis pulled off a tremendous upset of the San Antonio Spurs in the opening round of the 2011 NBA Playoffs, but aside from that, the Grizzlies have done little to impress since Mayo's arrival. 

Now an unrestricted free agent, Mayo will arrive to his new team with considerable talent, and a potentially bright future. It's his not-so-great past that will tack on a red flag. 

Gilbert Arenas

Most people are well aware of Gilbert Arenas' most egregious transgression. The gun charge he incurred while arguing with teammate Javaris Crittenton in 2009 did irreparable damage to his reputation and ultimately, his career. 

Now he's a free agent, and his prospects of getting signed are questionable. Last season, Arenas had to wait until March to sign on with a team.

Arenas carries several red flags.

He's aging, he's had injuries which have clearly impacted his effectiveness and durability on the court and he's had enough off-the-court issues to make teams think twice about signing him.

Overall, Arenas is one big whopping red flag. Will any team take a chance on him?  

Delonte West

Delonte West has plenty of on-court skills, and a few too many off-court mishaps to not cause some concern among prospective suitors. 

West is a lighting-quick point guard who brings considerable talents to any team he signs with. He also has a not-so-decorated history.

The most egregious transgression was a gun possession charge that he accrued during a traffic stop.

Compounding the problem is that West suffers from depression and mood disorders.

It's admirable that West has stepped forward, admitted to those problems and is working on them. That doesn't mean that some NBA GMs won't think twice about signing him though. 

J.R. Smith

J.R. Smith is a mercurial shooting guard who hasn't met too many shots he didn't like. Most NBA coaches don't mind having a player on the roster who shoots the ball frequently, and to his credit, Smith can go on streaks where he knocks down a ton of shots. 

He's also an exceptional athlete who will throw down some amazing dunks. 

Once he leaves the court, Smith can become a bit of an adventure for a team to have on its roster.  

Maybe it's just a series of juvenile tweets about a woman. It could also be a missed court date which was needed because of a long string of legal issues. 

Whatever it is, it's not anything that teams are going to be enthusiastic about spending limited free agent dollars on.