NBA Free Agency 2012: Elite Teams That Upgraded with Big Signings

Key acquisitions always give a boost to any team, but one such as Ray Allen to the Miami Heat is on a whole 'nother level.

According to Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press, via the Boston Globe:

"

Allen told the Heat on Friday night that he intends to accept their contract offer and leave Boston after five seasons.

A person briefed on details of the decision told the AP that Arison got the word from team president Pat Riley, who made Allen the team’s top free-agent priority.

"

This is certainly an immense get for the Heat after winning the 2012 NBA title and coming off two straight Finals appearances. Interestingly enough, Allen wasn't the only impressive addition to already stellar teams.

That said, let's see which elite teams got even better through free agency.

Los Angeles Clippers

Believe it or not, the Los Angeles Clippers are going to be for real for a while. According to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times:

"

The Clippers were informed on Thursday that guards Jamal Crawford and Chauncey Billups intend to sign contracts with the team when the NBA’s moratorium period is lifted for free agents to sign deals, according to NBA executives who were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

"

With Blake Griffin and Chris Paul leading the way, helped by a strong supporting cast, the Clippers made the postseason in 2012 and qualified for the Western Conference semifinals. Already a team on the rise, the Clippers are now a force in the Pacific Division.

Chauncey Billups provides excellent reliability, as he started 20 games for L.A. last season and averaged almost 15 points per game. Turning 36 before the 2012-13 season, Billups will, at the very least, be a great option in the backcourt rotation at either guard spot.

As for Jamal Crawford, the 32-year-old sharpshooter will make a big impact with Paul at the point and Griffin underneath. The Clippers needed a consistent marksman from the outside, and Crawford has the capability to knock from downtown quite often.

Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics may have missed out on Ray Allen, but they still got a verbal commitment from Jason Terry, according to ESPN's Jeff Caplan and Marc Stein.

Add to that the fact that Kevin Garnett is staying, according to Frank Dell'Apa of the Boston Globe, and the Celtics aren't going away any time soon. Point guard Rajon Rondo is among the best in the game, and his court awareness alone will enhance Terry's production.

And although Terry is no Ray Allen, the man can still hit three-pointers and connect from inside the arc at a solid rate. Last season in Dallas, Terry averaged 15.1 points and 3.6 assists, and was 37.8 percent from long range.

Terry is also quite reliable in the postseason. During the Mavericks' 2011 NBA title run, Terry came off the bench to average 17.5 points and shoot 44.2 percent from beyond the arc.

With a strong presence like Garnett remaining inside and Paul Pierce's presence, Terry will perform impressively well in Boston.

Los Angeles Lakers

With the Clippers more relevant than ever, the Lakers made a great move of their own to remain L.A.'s best franchise. According to ESPN's Marc Stein:

"

In an unforeseen twist that could thrust the Los Angeles Lakers straight back into title contention, two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash has successfully negotiated a sign-and-trade deal from the Phoenix Suns to the Lakers that will team him up with Kobe Bryant.

"

Although Steve Nash is 38 years old, the NBA veteran point guard can still play at a ridiculously elite level. The 2011-12 season was his 16th, and Nash was his usual self, averaging 10.7 assists, 12.5 points and putting in 30-plus minutes of work each game.

Now with the Lakers, we can only expect Nash to see inflated numbers courtesy of Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. The Lakers were No. 15 in scoring offense last season, which ultimately was a major factor in L.A.'s early playoff exit.

Nash's presence alone will take pressure off Bryant and co. and vice versa. Certainly a more complete team, the Lakers immediately become an even more dangerous Western Conference contender.

Miami Heat

All the impressive signings aside, Ray Allen to the Miami Heat is easily the best one.

Having won two straight Eastern Conference titles and the 2012 NBA Championship, the Heat now have an even more explosive and potent offense.

LeBron James can play virtually any position on the floor, as can Dwyane Wade. Allen is the obvious true shooting guard, so having James at power forward and Wade at small forward only makes Miami that much more difficult to defend.

There's no need to present a true center, as James' athleticism alone matches up well against anyone in the paint and Wade has the skill set to shutdown bigger opponents. Now, this won't be Miami's look every time out on the floor, as that would restrict James' and Wade's production.

Nonetheless, those two alone will provide Allen with many scoring opportunities and draw enough attention to consistently give James and Wade favorable matchups. Having averaged 14.2 points and shooting 45.8 percent from the field last season, Allen will see inflated numbers in Miami.

And it's certainly a safe bet to mark down a Miami "reHeat" in 2013.

Follow John Rozum on Twitter.