NBA Free Agency 2012: The Signings That Should Have Been

The dust has now settled on the flurry of free agent signings this month, with nearly all the big-name players now signed.

We've seen Deron Williams spurn the Dallas Mavericks in favor of the Brooklyn Nets, Steve Nash turn down more money from the Toronto Raptors to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers, and a couple of legendary power forwards resign with their current clubs.

So which of these and others made the right choice?  Which would have been better off signing with different clubs?

Here are the top seven free agents who should have signed with different teams.

7. Jameer Nelson, PG

Signed With: Orlando Magic

Better Choice: Dallas Mavericks

It won't be long before the Magic begin the rebuilding process, so signing an average 30-year-old point guard to a multi-year deal makes very little sense.

Nelson is a nice player, and has been for years, but he's not an All-Star caliber talent and would struggle to start on the majority of NBA teams.

The Magic should have been thrilled when he opted out of his players option so that they would have increased salary cap flexibility, but instead decided to lock Nelson up for another three years.

A team like the Mavericks, desperate for a point guard after watching Jason Kidd and Jason Terry leave, should have offered Nelson a deal to help them stay competitive in the Western Conference.

Nelson on a soon-to-be young and rebuilding team doesn't make much sense.

6. Kris Humphries, PF

Signed With: Brooklyn Nets

Better Choice: Charlotte Bobcats

Humphries came close to signing with the Bobcats, but eventually took a two-year, $24 million deal to stay with the Nets.

While he'll no doubt experience more team success with the Nets, it would have been a better career move for Humphries to sign in Charlotte for a number of reasons.

For one, with Brooklyn, Humphries will likely be the fifth option offensively when he's on the court.  With Deron Williams, Gerald Wallace and Brook Lopez all signing new deals with the club and Joe Johnson coming over via trade, Humphries will likely have to get a large number of his baskets off of offensive rebounds.

With Charlotte, he would have no doubt been the club's best overall post player, and could have been a main option on the offensive end.

Getting away from the spotlight of the New York media would have been wise as well.

5. Eric Gordon, SG

Signed With: New Orleans Hornets

Better Choice: Phoenix Suns

Ok, technically Gordon did sign with the Suns, but it's not where he'll be playing this fall.

Signing a max deal with Phoenix that was matched by New Orleans, the restricted free agent will return to the team that acquired him in a trade for Chris Paul last December.

While New Orleans was wise to match the deal and not just let Gordon walk away, it probably would have been best for all parties involved if they could have worked out a sign-and-trade, especially after the comments Gordon made, stating:

"

"Phoenix just showed a lot more interest, overall, and definitely in how they negotiated. I don't know what New Orleans' plans are for me. There are no negotiations right now ... They drafted another shooting guard, a combo guard like me, which tells me they have another plan."

"

The Suns wanted Gordon.  Gordon wanted to play with the Suns. 

This could make for a real awkward training camp...

4. Ray Allen, SG

Signed With: Miami Heat

Better Choice: Boston Celtics

Allen opted for the "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" strategy, leaving the Celtics after five years and joining the defending champion Heat.

While Allen did the classy thing of thanking the Boston fans, he shouldn't have had to.

Staying with the Celtics would have been the better move for a few reasons.

First, Allen will find himself coming off the bench in Miami, whereas he would have likely been the starter once again for Boston.  His role with the Celtics would have undoubtedly been bigger, as Miami already has Mike Miller, James Jones, Shane Battier, Rashard Lewis and Mario Chalmers as three-point threats.

While the Heat were the better team last season, Boston did push them to seven games and have since added Jason Terry, Jeff Green, Jared Sullinger, Fab Melo, Kris Joseph and a healthy Avery Bradley to the mix.

Allen would have benefited from all the added talent, and Boston could have possibly overtaken the Heat as the best team in the Eastern Conference.

Not to mention the Celtics were offering double the salary he'll be making with the Heat.

3. Kevin Garnett, PF/C

Signed With: Boston Celtics

Better Choice: San Antonio Spurs

Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett in the same paint together.  Think about that for a minute.

True, this isn't 2002, but the duo is still playing at a high level and each brings a specific skill set to the table.

The Spurs remain one of the top teams in the Western Conference, but at times looked very old and lifeless, especially in their playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

While Garnett isn't exactly a shot of youth, his energy and activity level is that of someone half his age.

The Spurs needed a center and a shot of life in their roster, and KG would have provided both.

Did I mention we would have gotten to see Garnett and Duncan in the same paint together?

2. Deron Williams, PG

Signed With: Brooklyn Nets

Better Choice: Dallas Mavericks

Williams entered this offseason as the main free agent prize, possessing the ability to single-handedly change the future of an NBA franchise.

Ultimately, his choice came down to the Nets and Mavericks, with the Joe Johnson trade to Brooklyn leading Williams to re-up with the Nets.

While this may have saved the Brooklyn franchise, it may have also meant doom for Dallas.

Bringing in Williams to play alongside Dirk Nowitzki would have reopened the title window for an aging Mavericks team.  Adding O.J. Mayo to go along with Shawn Marion, Vince Carter and Elton Brand would have meant a strong playoff squad with cap flexibility in the near future.

With Brooklyn, Joe Johnson's atrocious contract and Brook Lopez's max deal have tied up all of the Nets money up for the foreseeable future. 

If the Nets can't get past Boston or Miami—which they likely won't without Dwight Howard—Williams will be stuck on an average team with no available money to make any changes and a load of untradeable contracts.

Suddenly, Dallas looks pretty good.

1. Jeremy Lin, PG

Signed With: Houston Rockets

Better Choice: New York Knicks

Jeremy Lin had it good in New York.

With Carmelo Anthony, Amar'e Stoudemire, Tyson Chandler and others, all Lin had to do was help run the show without the pressure of being a star.

Now with a Rockets roster full of young, unproven players and a fresh $25 million contract, Lin will likely be called upon to be a star-level player.

The question is, will Lin be ready?  While he confessed that he would have preferred to stay in New York, Lin did make the choice to sign the offer sheet with Houston.

In New York, he was already with a playoff roster who added veterans Jason Kidd and Marcus Camby.

With Houston...well, here's hoping for a Dwight Howard trade sometime soon.