NBA Free Agency 2012: 5 Rebuilding Teams Who Aren't Getting Any Better

With teams rebuilding during the offseason and free agents—both restricted and non restricted—across the league being dealt and bargained over, some franchises don't seem to be making the best decisions.

Here are five teams chest deep in the rebuilding phase that won't be any better next season.

Minnesota Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves are a giant "what if" in the league.

What if Ricky Rubio comes back at 100 percent?

What if Kyle Korver or Nic Batum would have landed in Minnesota?

What if Kevin Love's patience holds out?

What if Nikola Pekovic can get the job done?

An avid Timberwolves fan myself, I hope beyond all hope that I'm wrong in putting Minnesota in this slideshow. However, the team still seems lost. Don't get me wrong—David Kahn is putting in the effort to rebuild this team and take them to the playoffs. He's taking the steps and extending the offers, but the big move that the Wolves need hasn't yet happened.

One thing's for sure: If Minnesota doesn't find its way deep into the postseason soon, all-star Kevin Love won't be hanging around much longer. And then it's back to square one.

Phoenix Suns

Since parting ways with veteran point guard Steve Nash, the Suns have put forth a valiant effort to restructure their roster.

However, I don't think their plan will be successful. Phoenix needs more than its gotten at this point to improve over the last few seasons.

The Suns did go after Eric Gordon, which would have been a great addition for them. Unfortunately for Phoenix, however, the restricted free agent will remain in a Hornets jersey. Former Minnesota forward Michael Beasley is a decent, but risky, pickup for Phoenix, and the $18 million offered him over three years seems a bit overpriced.

The same question mark hovers over Goran Dragic, who is joining the Suns for a guaranteed $30 million. Dragic is good, no doubt. But is he the type of leader that can pull Phoenix out of its slump of mediocrity? I'm not sure he is.

New York Knicks

The Knicks are not necessarily rebuilding this season, but they have been in a rebuilding process over the past few years, and their solutions have come mainly through free agency.

On paper, New York looks like a winning team. After all, it houses big-name athletes Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler and Amar'e Stoudemire. The Knicks should be golden... but they're not winning.

The problem here is that the "Big Three" (yes, I say this tongue in cheek) take up most of New York's salary space. Most recently, the Big Apple decided not to match a $25-million offer for restricted free agent Jeremy Lin, allowing the point guard to return to Houston. Although Lin became a phenom last season, the Knicks can't afford to keep him on their roster.

If Anthony, Chandler and Stoudemire don't start winning soon, the Knicks will have to let go of the jersey sales and change their strategy.

Dallas Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks may have had good intentions, but their rebuilding plan isn't doing Mavs fans any favors.

Dallas got rid of basically everyone on their team—except Dirk Nowitzki, of course—to create room for pursuing Deron Williams and/or Dwight Howard, neither of which will be coming to Texas.

Instead of adding a superstar, the Mavs have acquired Chris Kaman, Elton Brand and Darren Collison. None of these players are terrible choices in themselves, but they don't fit the overall big picture for Dallas. Most significantly, both Kaman and Brand have only one season remaining before they become free agents.

If Dallas doesn't win them over—and I'm guessing it won't—it will be forced to start all over again when Kaman and Brand leave for a more promising team next year.

Nowitzki is not getting any younger, and the Mavericks aren't getting any better.

Portland Trail Blazers

No matter how you look at it, Portland just seems to be struggling. Following last season, the Blazers traded Marcus Camby and Gerald Wallace while keeping LaMarcus Aldridge and Nicolas Batum.

Not to say that losing Camby and Wallace created a huge void, but the transactions also didn't seem to immediately benefit Portland in any way.

Most recently, the Blazers said they will match the large offer by Minnesota for Batum, a restricted free agent, despite the fact that Batum said he wanted to leave Portland and play for the Timberwolves. The Blazers could have utilized Batum's contract space, and now they are facing the possibility of having a disgruntled player on their hands.This move looks like nothing more than a desperate grasping at straws.

Combine this with the instability of the head coaching position in Portland, and this appears to be a team without any real direction.

Earlier this spring, Yahoo! Sports called Portland "an absolute, unmitigated mess." In my opinion, it hasn't progressed much past this.