NBA Free Agency 2012: How Top Stars Will Fare with Their New Teams

July 11th has come and gone, and finally the 2012 NBA free agents can sign the contracts we've been talking about for the past week and a half.

While the bigger names—Deron Williams, Eric Gordon, Roy Hibbert—are all returning to their original teams (or in Gordon's case, being dragged back kicking and whining), there are still a good handful of talented players who will be on new teams at the start of the 2012-2013 season.

Some big time talent has shifted around the NBA landscape, so let's check out how the biggest names will fare on their next teams. 

Lou Williams, Atlanta Hawks

A week after trading Joe Johnson and his max contract to the Nets, the Hawks signed scoring guard Lou Williams to a multiyear deal, according to ESPN.com.

Williams is a shorter, less effective Johnson but on a much more manageable contract. While he can't replace Johnson as the teams top scorer, he can easily be like Jamal Crawford, who left the Hawks last season. The small contract also helps Atlanta keep cap space open for next season.

If Atlanta starts the season with Josh Smith (who is the subject of many trade rumors) and Al Horford, Lou will have to accept being a third fiddle at best, but considering they snagged him for a mid-level exception, he's a very solid signing for Atlanta. 

Ray Allen, Miami Heat

For the second straight year, Ray Allen's Celtics were knocked out of the playoffs by the Miami Heat. With Father Time creeping over the horizon and knowing he only had a few more years left in the NBA,  he decided to take his talents down to Miami.

You'd be forgiven for thinking this was Ray Allen in his prime for all the attention and vile that sprung up in the blogosphere following the signing, but lets ignore the loyalty implications and consider simply how will Allen fare with the Heat.

Quite simply, it's going to be a match made in heaven. The only better signing the Heat could have made was for a defensive center, but forget about that... they signed Ray Allen!

With LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh all more comfortable with their mid range games, Allen can play the same role that Mike Miller,James Jones and Shane Battier all served offensively over the past few years—only better. He's one of the best shooters in NBA history, after all.

Sure, Allen has only a year or two left and his skills will deteriorate (especially defensively), but when his main role will be to stand in the corner, how hard can it be? 

Jason Terry, Boston Celtics

The loss of Ray Allen to Miami will hurt the Celtics more emotionally then it will game wise, especially since they signed Jason Terry as a very, VERY solid replacement.

Terry will never be as consistent a shooter as Allen, but he may suit the team better at this point. He's been willing to come off the bench in the past, which will let the Celtics start Avery Bradley and bring Terry off as a bench spark-plug. He's also just as good a defender as Allen.

The Celtics are no longer contenders, but they're still a very good squad and Terry will be a very solid fit.

Michael Beasley, Phoenix Suns

Michael Beasley has, for the past four years, shown glimpses of greatness. His high potential was the reason he was taken No. 2 overall by Miami in 2008. But in four years, while he hasn't exactly been bad, he has hardly been consistent

He agreed to a three-year deal with Phoenix last week, which will truly give him his first shot to be a true top option since the Suns are utterly void of big scorers. We know Beasley can score big, but is he consistent enough to be "the guy" in Phoenix?

Simply put, no. Beasley might put up decent numbers, but I expect his field goal percentage will be in the dumps as he's suddenly the focal point of an opponent's defense. He's a good second or third option on a championship team (hopefully one that could control him) but he's not a top option. 

Brandon Roy, Minnesota Timberwolves

Just a year after retiring due to knee issues, Brandon Roy is returning to the NBA and will sign a two-year deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, according to ESPN.com.

Roy could not have resigned with his former Portland Trailblazers, but talent wise, Minnesota is a great fit. The Timberwolves needed an efficient scoring guard, and Roy fits that role beautifully, even if he's not back to his pre-injury status.

Just how good Roy will fare, of course, depends on how healthy he is. He says he feels great and expects to play at a high level, and if that's 100 percent true, he could turn the Timberwolves into a dark horse championship contender. If he's not quite so healthy, he could be nothing more than a nice backup. 

Jamal Crawford, Los Angeles Clippers

After a rocky year in Portland, Jamal Crawford heads to Los Angeles to play the role of electric scorer for the Clippers. 

After losing Nick Young the Clippers needed another scoring punch and they got a better one. Crawford had an off year in Portland, but the 32-year-old gives Los Angeles another wing shooter to play off of Chris Paul.

He isn't the league's most efficient scorer, and shot just 38.4 percent from the field last year, but the more weapons the Clippers have to stretch the floor, the better. 

Nick Young, Philadelphia 76ers

The 76ers lacked three-point shooting last year, with only Lou Williams and Jrue Holiday representing consistency from downtown. While the signing of Young might have cost them Lou Williams, the 76ers got Young at a steal of a price.

ESPN reports that the deal is a one-year, six million dollar deal. If it works out, Young would be a steal at that price. He's still young and inconsistent, but he had some big games down the stretch last season for the Los Angeles Clippers. 

If he doesn't work out, it's a one-year deal and the Sixers can just restart their search for a shooter next year. 

Steve Nash, Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers officially announced the sign and trade for Steve Nash from Phoenix in what has easily become the offseason's biggest story so far. 

Questions about how Nash and Kobe Bryant can coexist will continue to pop up until the two actually play together, but the Lakers needed an infusion of talent badly to keep their contender hopes alive. Nash, at the very least, gives them talent.

He's a great shooter and still one of the best point guards in the league. Playing with Pau Gasol in a pick and roll will work wonders, and that could make defenses shift off Andrew Bynum down low and open up the post for him. How will Kobe handle a true ball-dominant point guard? When he's as respected a point guard as Nash is, you have to think Kobe's desire to win will overshadow his ball hogging tendencies.