Every NBA Team's Ideal 2013 Free-Agent Signing

Though dozens upon dozens of players will hit the open market this summer, NBA teams have their eyes set on a handful of ideal targets.

While some organizations will be the most enthusiastic bidders for their own guys, others will have to compete with multiple suitors to earn their offseason reward.

That prize differs depending on the squad and the circumstance. The league's cash-strapped franchises will look to cheaper options, while teams with more cap space are going to do battle over the stars of this free-agent class.

By nature, not everyone can come away happy in this sort of competition. Examining who will be facing off in the coming weeks will help us guess the winners- and losers-to-be.

Atlanta Hawks: Dwight Howard

The Atlanta Hawks are hoping the hometown draw is enough to land the crown jewel of the summer.

Even with Al Horford on their roster, the Hawks are enthralled by the option of adding Dwight Howard and creating a cohesive two-center system.

There's a chance a Howard/Horford tandem would have the same trappings of D12's recent stint alongside Pau Gasol—a crowded paint and not enough post touches to go around.

In this case, Atlanta would surely make Dwight the primary option, and Horford is the type of player that would accept moving out of his comfort zone with more mid-range work for the good of the team.

Now all the Hawks need is for Howard to come down with a case of homesickness. Atlanta has pitches prepared both for the team and the city, but the Hawks are underdogs on both counts.

Boston Celtics: Josh Smith

Now that the Boston Celtics are transitioning from the Ubuntu era, there is a hole for a new post threat.

As much as the Celtics would do well to bottom out and get a franchise cornerstone in the 2014 draft lottery, it would be a disservice to Rajon Rondo.

With Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett gone, the only scorer around him that he trusts is Jeff Green. Granted, Green did make nice strides when Boston gave him playing time, but he's not someone worth building around.

Josh Smith would slip right in both as a big, versatile scoring threat and as the leader of Boston's interior defense. He's not the same player KG was, but he can fill the same roles for the Celtics.

As a great facilitator, Rondo is only as good as the talent around him. Smith would be a nice start to the rebuilding effort.

Brooklyn Nets: Kyle Korver

Without much money to spend and a dire need for three-point shooting, the Brooklyn Nets went out and targeted Kyle Korver.

Per ESPN's Mark Stein, Korver to the Nets is "in the bag." For a guy chasing a title, Brooklyn's mini-mid-level exception is well worth it.

Korver not only gives Brooklyn the spot-up shooter it so desperately needs to create spacing with the second unit, but he also becomes the first wing off the bench. Now that MarShon Brooks is going to Boston in the Pierce/KG trade, there's an opening for Korver to make a significant contribution to a contender.

With his offensive savvy and sound defense, that's exactly what the Nets need.

Charlotte Bobcats: Al Jefferson

The Charlotte Bobcats need a reliable post scorer, and Al Jefferson fits that bill perfectly.

With Jefferson inside, Kemba Walker would not have to carry the scoring load by himself. Walker is developing nicely as an offensive weapon, but without some support on that end, he isn't going to hone his skills as a point guard.

Having a hulking post threat would also take the pressure off Charlotte's other prospects. Cody Zeller will be able to count on Jefferson both to attract the defense's attention and to mentor him outside of games, while Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Bismack Biyombo won't have to push to produce offensively.

Prospects can't develop in a vacuum; Jefferson will give the green Bobcats some talent to play off of.

Chicago Bulls: Marco Belinelli

Not only are the Chicago Bulls up against the salary cap, but they're also notoriously unwilling to pay the luxury tax.

That means Chicago will have to retain its supporting cast to stay strong through the summer.

For a team that struggled to produce wing scoring last season, bringing back Marco Belinelli will be key. Hopefully rookie Tony Snell will be able to help the cause with his three-point shooting, but it won't be enough if the Bulls lose their other second-unit swingman.

Keeping Belinelli isn't an exciting move, but it's what the Bulls need and are comfortable doing.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Andre Iguodala

The Cleveland Cavaliers are in need of a two-way small forward who can provide lockdown perimeter defense in particular.

That has Andre Iguodala written all over it.

Iguodala is the type of leader who would be a great influence for improving young players like Dion Waiters and Tristan Thompson. At the same time, he would still be willing to defer to Kyrie Irving and take a smaller share of the scoring load.

For a Cavs squad finally ready to make a playoff push, that experience and all-around play is vital. On this free agent market, Iguodala is the best man for the job.

Dallas Mavericks: Dwight Howard

Dating back to the 2012 iteration of Dwight Howard's indecision, the Dallas Mavericks have always wanted him to bridge the gap between Dirk Nowitzki and the team's future.

Not only would Howard give Dirk the best interior defensive help he has had since Tyson Chandler was a Mav, but he would also create so much room for Nowitzki to work from the high post. Dirk's jumper is deadly enough; imagine if defenders were also afraid to step out and contest it.

Dallas' working theory is that Dwight could make the most of Nowitzki's final years before ultimately becoming the long-term face of the franchise himself.

Unfortunately, the concept of keeping an aging team afloat is not the most attractive for a star free agent. This is the ideal option for the Mavs, but it's a longshot.

Denver Nuggets: Andre Iguodala

As the Denver Nuggets transition to a new coach and GM, keeping their veteran leadership is key.

The run-and-gun Nuggets are not intuitively built to play solid defense. They're filled with guys like Wilson Chandler who have the tools to defend, but aren't hard-wired to compete on that end of the floor.

Having Iguodala around ensures his teammates will be just as committed to switching and pressuring on defense as they are to running out in transition. That he is also able to do the latter and finish strong at the rim is an added bonus.

He fit in seamlessly into Denver's system last season. As the Nuggets shift towards a new one, Iguodala is the right guy to lead them there on the court.

Detroit Pistons: Andre Iguodala

The Detroit Pistons already have a stacked frontcourt and a backcourt full of potential; they just need that linchpin to help them reach their ceiling.

Once again, that guy is Iguodala.

His selflessness would be very helpful for Brandon Knight, who has struggled to facilitate the Pistons offense. While Iguodala is not a candidate to tutor Knight in distributing the ball, he moves the ball well enough himself to take some of the burden off the young point guard.

Additionally, it will make life easier for Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond if Detroit had a useful scoring swingman to go to.

It's not the same aid other Iguodala suitors need, but that's more a testament to the player's jack-of-all-trades skill set than a statement against his fit in Detroit.

Golden State Warriors: Dwight Howard

An inside-out combo of Dwight Howard and Steph Curry sounds like something out of a basketball fantasy.

The Golden State Warriors are selling that to him as a potential reality.

If Howard joined the Dubs, they would be able to run a supercharged variant of D12's halycon days with the Orlando Magic: The best center in the world surrounded by long-range bombers.

Between Curry and Klay Thompson, no defense will be able to clog the paint and take Howard out of his element. The game hasn't come easily to Dwight for two seasons now; he'd get that chance again with Golden State.

The Dubs will have competition trying to pitch Howard on his supporting-cast-to-be, but they will have the issue of on-court comfort in their favor.

Houston Rockets: Dwight Howard

Between the roster, the financials and the city, the Houston Rockets are the frontrunners in this most recent Dwight Howard sweepstakes.

They have the means to pair him with a true superstar in James Harden with the means to sign another prominent free agent. On top of that, he can make more money in Texas without its income tax than he could even if he resigned with the Los Angeles Lakers.

That combination is the clincher for Houston.

Dallas has the financial perks but can't match the competitiveness. Only Golden State comes close on that front, but the money wouldn't be the same—even with identical max contract terms.

This is the Rockets' signing to lose. When they're pitching Dwight, they might as well ask him who he'd like them to sign alongside him.

Indiana Pacers: David West

The Indiana Pacers played nice defense before David West arrived, but he brought their penchant for physicality and their never-back-down mentality.

It was those intangibles that allowed Indy to take the Miami Heat to the brink in the Eastern Conference finals. Without West, neither Hibbert nor George approaches the game with the same toughness, and the Pacers fall far before they get the chance to push the defending champs.

Additionally, the Pacers didn't have the money to go after a Josh Smith, but they could resign West at $12 million a year. Between the continuity and affordability, this just makes too much sense for Indy.

Los Angeles Clippers: Chris Paul

There was no bigger no-brainer this summer than the Los Angeles Clippers bringing back Chris Paul.

Once Doc Rivers switched sides to join the Clippers, no other situation out there could match what Paul had with his old team. Between the newfound steady leadership and his old partnership with Blake Griffin, returning was the only reasonable option.

The team that could give a star point guard a Bird max contract decided to do just that. Of course this is ideal for the Clippers, and of course this happened.

Los Angeles Lakers: Dwight Howard

Just as the other Staples Center occupant needed to bring its superstar back, the Los Angeles Lakers have to keep Dwight Howard.

However, L.A.'s first team doesn't seem willing to pull out all the stops to do so.

Howard did not mesh well with Mike D'Antoni and his reliance on pick-and-rolls last season, and D'Antoni's offense is still in place. He faced a crowded paint alongside Pau Gasol, and Gasol is stil there, too. He felt Kobe Bryant marginalized him in the locker room, and this will always be Kobe's team.

Other than the Bird max deal and the prestige of playing for the Lakers in L.A.—something Howard wilted under last year—this team has nothing over the Rockets or Warriors here. Last summer's win will be this summer's loss.

Memphis Grizzlies: Tony Allen

It just wouldn't have made sense for the Memphis Grizzlies to let Tony Allen leave.

The Grizz could have picked up another lockdown wing on the open market, but someone like Matt Barnes would not have replaced what Allen means emotionally to this squad and this city.

Allen is a beloved figure in Memphis for coining the "grit and grind" mantra that allowed players and fans to rally around a common rallying cry.

The All-NBA defense wasn't the only factor in this team keeping Allen; there was just too much public goodwill on the line here.

Miami Heat: Chris Andersen

The Miami Heat have no money to spend and a need for bigs.

That means they need to keep the Birdman in town.

Chris Andersen emerged as an unlikely X-factor for the Heat in the 2013 postseason with his efficient finishing on offense and his shot-blocking at the other end of the floor. 

It's questionable how long Birdman, who will turn 35 before the signing moratorium is lifted, will be able to disrupt opponents with his athleticism. No matter for Miami, though; the Heat just need him for one year.

Milwaukee Bucks: Brandon Jennings

There was a chance the Milwaukee Bucks were going to trade for Eric Bledsoe and let the Brandon Jennings era end. That option is no longer on the table.

Jennings isn't a half bad Plan B, at least.

Derided last season as a shoot-first volume scorer lacking in defensive awareness, the Bucks point guard got no help from playing with Monta Ellis. Having another shoot-first volume scorer lacking in defensive awareness in the backcourt just made life more difficult.

However, there is still hope for Jennings where there isn't for Ellis.

If Milwaukee can get him to limit his shots on offense and stay attuned to his assignment on defense, Jennings has the passing skills and quick hands to make it as a true point guard.

That star potential is impossible for the Deer to let go without a very good reason.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Nikola Pekovic

Both in terms of Kevin Love's present and future, the Minnesota Timberwolves need Nikola Pekovic back.

The Wolves' star has the leeway to step out on offense and to commit himself to polishing the boards because he has a 6'11", 291-pound partner to provide help.

Pekovic is the interior defender Love doesn't have the size or athleticism to be and is an imposing enough post threat to keep defenders peering towards the rim even while Love is out beyond the arc.

When they play together, it's easy for Wolves fans to imagine this tandem sticking around for years. In order to keep Love, the Wolves will need to keep talented guys like Pekovic.

If Minnesota lets Pek go, Love will follow. It's that simple, and so the Wolves will not make that mistake.

New Orleans Pelicans: Andre Iguodala

The former Hornets are one of the few organizations that can afford a star who isn't a big-time scorer.

With a backcourt of Jrue Holiday and Eric Gordon, the New Orleans Pelicans don't need Andre Iguodala to carry a huge offensive load. They just need someone to move the ball to open shooters beyond the arc and to slash when the defense steps out too far; Iggy is great on both fronts.

And on top of the leadership he would bring to this inexperienced roster, Iguodala would also ease Holiday's introduction to the Pelicans. As the point guard looks to take over a prominent role on a new squad, it would be reassuring if a dependable former teammate joined him.

New Orleans will likely look to keep tinkering through trades before diving into free agency; Iguodala would make the most sense once that happens.

New York Knicks: J.R. Smith

With no money to pursue other scoring options, the New York Knicks cannot let J.R. Smith go, inefficiency and inconsistency and all.

Smith emerged as the Knicks' second scorer last season, one of too few players who could create his own shot when Carmelo Anthony was off the floor. Take him out of New York, and that offense becomes merely good with Melo in the game and borderline useless when he sits.

What's worse, New York has no backup plan if he gets lured elsewhere. The mini-mid-level exception will not buy an adequate replacement; the only options would be to hope for Iman Shumpert to make a giant leap offensively (unlikely) or for Amar'e Stoudemire to be his old, healthy self (even more unlikely).

He's not an ideal option per se, but Smith is as good as it could possibly get for the Knicks in 2013.

Oklahoma City Thunder: O.J. Mayo

The Oklahoma City Thunder are going to need to find a new third scorer.

Kevin Martin, the best player OKC received in last year's James Harden trade, is departing for the Minnesota Timberwolves, leaving the Thunder with a void at shooting guard.

The Thunder need more than just a sharpshooter to fill Harden's and Martin's shoes; they need someone who can do more than just knock down threes and who can do so efficiently.

He's not a perfect fit, but O.J. Mayo has the shooting range and the driving ability to take some of the pressure off Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Mayo doesn't get to the line at any great rate, which the Thunder would always like, but he can shoot well enough to make it work.

Orlando Magic: Toney Douglas

The Orlando Magic are focusing on two goals right now: Developing their prospects and preparing for the 2014 offseason.

In the meantime, they still have to fill out their roster and hit the salary floor, so they can't sit back and be entirely inactive this year.

Orlando lacks young talent and depth at point guard. After the unexciting Jameer Nelson, the Magic don't have a single player who can run the point, let alone score from that position and take some pressure off the developing wings.

Toney Douglas is a solid shooter, a willing defender and someone who could continue making an impact off the bench when the Magic try to compete in 2014-15.

There's nothing flashy or even very interesting about this target, but the Magic are not looking to have an eventful July. They simply want the pieces in place for their guys to grow.

Philadelphia 76ers: Josh Smith

Currently in the midst of an abrupt transformation, the Philadelphia 76ers have the biggest need for Josh Smith.

Now that Jrue Holiday is a Pelican, Philly does not have anyone resembling a star. Evan Turner is the closest thing to it, but that's a very forced comparison; looking at the Sixers roster, newly acquired Nerlens Noel is the only one who might reach that status someday.

Direct contributions aside, Smith he is the perfect teammate to help Noel reach his potential.

Already a superb shot-blocker, Noel is raw offensively and thin as a rail. With Smith in a Sixers uniform, the highly touted rookie would have a great example to teach him how to score in the post and how to put on the necessary muscle to compete.

It goes without saying that Smith could make Philly better, but what he could do for Noel would be even more influential.

Phoenix Suns: J.R. Smith

Now that Eric Bledsoe is on the Phoenix Suns, they need someone to take the offensive burden off him.

The young point guard is a defensive ace who's offensive game is still a work in progress. While Bledsoe can convert effectively at the rim, he can't do much away from it and isn't much of a spot-up shooter. Phoenix would be wise to give him the resources to pass first.

This is one of the few teams that could use J.R. Smith.

His volume-based approach to offense would actually be helpful to Bledsoe, who wouldn't have to worry about putting the ball in the hoop himself. Smith would also give the Suns an athletic backcourt tandem they could build around—a novel idea for this heretofore directionless franchise.

Portland Trail Blazers: Chris Kaman

The Portland Trail Blazers now have Meyers Leonard and Jeff Withey developing at the center position, but no one who can start there now.

Chris Kaman is a veteran who can teach those young bigs some technique, and he'll do it on a short, affordable deal.

That's really the most important thing for the Blazers—that they get a serviceable starter for now who can help them train a starter for later. Kaman would also give Portland some size that J.J. Hickson couldn't last season, taking some pressure off LaMarcus Aldridge in that department.

Between Aldridge, Damian Lillard and Nic Batum, the Blazers want to win now. Kaman's not exactly an amazing win-now guy, but he still has value.

Sacramento Kings: Andre Iguodala

If there's any team that needs someone to come in and instill some discipline and professionalism, it's the Sacramento Kings.

Between a glut of chuckers in the backcourt and the absurdly volatile DeMarcus Cousins in the frontcourt, this organization is begging for Andre Iguodala.

The Kings need him to have any hope of teaching Cousins the value of playing the right way and of getting Sacramento's point guards to actually distribute the ball. Iggy has the team-first approach necessary to put the Kings on the right track, though it by no means would happen overnight.

It would take a ton of money to get Iguodala to this dysfunctional situation, though. As useful as he could be for Sacramento, he could also end up being considerably overpaid here.

San Antonio Spurs: Tiago Splitter

Of course the San Antonio Spurs are going to value their system and continuity first and foremost.

So Tiago Splitter was absolutely going to return to San Antonio.

The Spurs center has made great strides working with Gregg Popovich and Tim Duncan—moving without the ball around the rim and playing very good interior defense. After three seasons in San Antonio, Splitter is a known quantity to Pop and company that they know fits the system.

That familiarity is what the Spurs dynasty is built on. With Pop and Duncan on their way out soon, San Antonio needs to preserve as much of it as possible.

Toronto Raptors: Carl Landry

Carl Landry will get a lot of interest from teams looking for an affordable big man.

Only the Toronto Raptors would consider him their ideal signing, though.

Toronto is currently rich in perimeter threats but poor in post scoring. If Landry is down low on the block as opposed to Amir Johnson, he would force defenses to be conscious of the entry pass and not play all the way up on Rudy Gay and Kyle Lowry.

Also, with Jonas Valanciunas progressing as Toronto's center of the future, Landry would be a nice veteran influence. The 29-year-old big would be able to teach the young Lithuanian some tricks for his post game, adding some more technique to go along with his raw ability.

The Raptors have a lot of room to improve, but not very much cap flexibility to do so. A guy like Landry would help them maximize their limited spending.

Utah Jazz: O.J. Mayo

The Utah Jazz are in need of another wing scorer, and O.J. Mayo could be that guy for a good price.

Now that the Jazz have Trey Burke at point guard, they need to surround him with enough talent to let him improve. Utah already has Gordon Hayward on the wing and Derrick Favors at center, but those guys are still getting better as well.

Between Burke, Hayward and Mayo, Utah would have three different guards who could get to the rim and hit from mid-range. With so many options, none of them would have any pressure to control the game and allow all three to develop further.

For a Jazz team stocked with young talent and built for the long haul, that's all that matters. If Mayo can finally reach his ceiling in Utah, all the better.

Washington Wizards: Martell Webster

The Washington Wizards are finally ready to compete for a playoff spot again, but they need a second swingman to do so.

John Wall and Bradley Beal already comprise one of the best guard tandems in the NBA, while Nene and Emeka Okafor give the Wiz a staunch, workmanlike interior. Yet that same solid frontcourt is also putting Washington over the cap, requiring some finesse to keep this roster in shape.

Last season, Martell Webster knocked down threes and crashed the boards to pull it all together; if not for injuries, they'd already be a postseason team again. After that career year, Washington couldn't afford to go outside the organization to get someone of that caliber.

Webster will be back in a Wizards uniform next season, which is exactly what Washington was hoping for. It's not the most exciting signing and it won't sell any extra tickets, but it's the best thing for this team under these circumstances.