NBA Free Agency 2013: Players Who Will Make Teams Instant Contenders

Every year's NBA free-agency class boasts dozens of players who will make big impacts on their respective teams. But there are only a handful of players who can immediately change the culture of a franchise.

These players know about high expectations. Whoever lands them in the coming days will have their sights set on contending for an NBA championship. The jewels of this year's free-agent class will send shockwaves across the Association with their upcoming decisions.

Let's take a look at those players who will turn their new teams into instant contenders in 2013-14.

Dwight Howard

The "Dwightstakes" have officially begun, and the five teams fortunate enough to land a face-to-face visit from Superman will be able to call themselves as NBA title contenders if he joins.

Say what you will about Dwight Howard's antics, indecisiveness and personality, but he's arguably a future Hall of Fame center in an era with few dominant big men. The former No. 1 overall pick in 2004 averaged 17.1 points and 12.4 rebounds per game on a Lakers team that never truly clicked.

Howard's in-person visits have been taking place on Monday and Tuesday, according to Zach Harper of CBS Sports. Among the five teams who were able to meet with D12 were the Hawks, Rockets, Warriors, Mavericks and Lakers, in no particular order.

True, it would be tough to see some of those teams contending even with Dwight in the fold. It's hard to imagine Howard thriving with the Lakers if they don't add some extra talent, and both the Hawks and Mavs didn't have the best of seasons in 2012-13.

But if one thing is for sure, it's that star players have followed each other in recent offseasons. According to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News, Howard and fellow free agent Josh Smith have discussed uniting on the same team. 

Smith won't be the only one. This year's free-agent class is deep and full of players looking to join a championship contender, and that label will follow Howard wherever he goes.

Brandon Jennings

At just 23 years old, Brandon Jennings has put his name out there as one of the best point guards in the NBA.

The free agent has spent his entire career with the Milwaukee Bucks, where he emerged as their most consistent scoring threat even alongside trigger-happy Monta Ellis. Jennings has averaged at least 15 points per game in each of his four NBA seasons.

The youngster has also matured in the passing department, notching a career high for assists at 6.5 last season.

This past season, Jennings held a Bucks team together that had no business of making the playoffs and got them in with a No. 8 seed.

They didn't fare well against the Miami Heat. But it wasn't for a lack of effort by Jennings. He even talked up his heavily out-matched Bucks in proclaiming they'd beat the defending champs in six games. 

You have to love that level of confidence from such a young player. If there's one thing Jennings has lots of, it's confidence in his abilities. That's exactly what you want from a hot-shooting elusive guard. 

Jennings has the complete package for any team with championship aspirations; he just has to find his right match.

Andrew Bynum

The debacle that was the 2012-13 season in Philadelphia didn't prove anything for Andrew Bynum's career other than the fact that he needs to stay as far away from bowling alleys as possible. 

Bynum was unable to lace up his shoes for a single regular-season game as a member of the 76ers, but an Associated Press report via ESPN on June 25 claimed Bynum was good to go after completing his rehabilitation. 

Of course, many NBA fans won't believe that until they see it. And rightfully so, due to an over-hyped move to Philly that we were never able to see come to fruition.

But in order to remember just how dominant Bynum can be, go back to his days as a Los Angeles Laker. Bynum grew into one of the league's best centers and became a household name in his final season in L.A., when he averaged 18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds in a frontcourt that also featured Pau Gasol.

It's a shame that we were never able to see Bynum in a franchise-player role on the court, but his upside is so large that he should get another chance.

Plus, when a player goes through such a traumatic tenure with a team that ends in your name being discounted and nearly forgotten by much of the league, it puts quite the chip on his shoulder.

At just 25 years of age, Bynum has already solidified his case as an elite big man. That will result in his new team becoming an immediate contender.