NBA Free Agency 2011: Jamal Crawford and the Best Scorers Available This Summer
As the NBA playoffs wage on, the focus of each player is on their team's advancement. Well-structured team defense betters any squad's chances of taking yet another step toward the NBA Finals.
In retrospect, some teams will target athletes with the most impressive offensive skill set this summer. Teams like the Milwaukee Bucks, Charlotte Bobcats and the New Jersey Nets need an offensive boost. They are the league's worst scoring teams, and therefore have the greatest need for a scorer.
This year's unrestricted free agent class becomes available this summer. Although it doesn't stand strongly against last year's star-studded bunch, there's still more than a few quality players to be had. There are quite a few available athletes that know how to put the ball in the basket.
Here's the top 10 flat-out scorers in the 2011 free agency.
10. Shannon Brown
1 of 10
Shannon Brown is on his fourth team in five years. To many, that would imply that teams are not happy with his level of play.
However, Brown has been getting better each time he puts on a new uniform. His tremendous athleticism is undeniable, but his jump shot is the part of his game that has come a long way. He's never been afraid to launch, but he's just starting to release it with confidence.
Brown has become more comfortable with open threes, but still prefers to take it to the basket when he can. Once he leaves the floor, there are very few players that are more exciting. Brown was once a member of the dunk contest. Although he failed to live up to the hype, he still showed off his elite leaping ability.
If Brown is given a chance on a team that has more shots to go around, he can finally average double-digit points.
9. Grant Hill
2 of 10
Grant Hill is on the opposite end of his career. While Brown looks to enter his prime, Hill has already seen his heyday come and go.
Hill still holds a ton of value in the latter part of his career. He has developed a three-point shot that he didn't have in his younger years, and his defense hasn't gone anywhere. Hill is still capable of putting the ball on the floor. He did just that more often than not when he was running the point for the Detroit Pistons in his first couple years in the league.
Hill is 38 years old, but don't let that fool you. He can still play the game at a very high level.
8. Yao Ming
3 of 10
Sure, Yao Ming has had his fair share of injuries. However, there's no denying the gifts Yao possesses.
Before he went down yet again, Yao was only seeing reserve minutes to see if he could still play in the NBA. Another injury put him back on the bench, but one can only hope that Yao will turn it around in upcoming years.
At his peak, Yao was averaging over 25 points per game. He added some body weight and strength to his natural height. All of this, combined with improving post moves, made Yao a top five center in the league.
Can he return to that level at his current age of 30 years old? We'll have to wait and watch.
7. C.J. Miles
4 of 10
C.J. Miles pulled it all together on March 16 against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
It was that day when Miles went for 40 points on just 18 shots. He also hit six of seven threes during the contest, showing how dynamic his offensive game could be. Miles averaged more than 10 points a game for the first time in his career in 2010-11. Also, he scored at least his age of 24 five times this year.
Miles—like Brown—loves to take the ball to the rack. Knowing that he may be in his athletic prime, Miles likes to use his physical ability to attack the defense. His shooting numbers have been down this year, but that's just because he's been relied on so much more. If you ignore the numbers and watch him play, you can tell that he's been improving.
Miles has a big role in Utah right now, but he could probably land significant minutes with almost any team in the league.
6. Jason Richardson
5 of 10
Jason Richardson has the physical tools to be at the forefront of many teams' offenses.
He's the type of player that loves to slash to the hoop and challenge the other team's bigs. However, after a stint with Steve Nash in Phoenix, Richardson has begun to rely on his jump shot more than in the past. He does have a high rise on his jumper, which makes it tough to block.
Richardson is a streaky shooter, making his new-found style of play a big risk. With Dwight Howard clogging up the paint in Orlando, Richardson has continued to shoot from deep. In three playoff games, 15 of Richardson's 30 shots have been from beyond the arc. He's only made four.
If Richardson wants to get back to the style of play he does best, he needs to leave Orlando.
5. David West
6 of 10
David West's injury cost the New Orleans Hornets any chance of contending with the Los Angeles Lakers in the playoffs. That's how valuable he is.
For the past six years, West has been quietly flirting with 20 points and 10 rebounds each time he hits the floor. His value to the Hornets has been consistent throughout. A nice fadeaway off the dribble and a little jump hook are the highlights of West's playbook.
West is still comfortably in the prime of his career, so many teams will be looking to snatch him away from New Orleans this July. West's decision this offseason will be a huge factor in Chris Paul's choice in 2012.
With this in mind, West will be a big name on the market for more than one reason this summer.
4. Ray Allen
7 of 10
Ray Allen is the most proven player in this year's free agent class.
His current offensive game revolves around his three-point shot, but he possesses arguably the best one in NBA history—making it a pretty decent shot to rely on. Allen is more of a second or third option in an offense at this point in his career, but his big shot ability can't be ignored.
Allen showed he can still take it to the hoop in Game 4 of the 2008 NBA Finals when he blew by Sasha Vujacic to give the Boston Celtics a 3-1 series lead. In the 2010 Finals, he hit eight threes in one game to earn a win for the Celtics.
Any team in the league would be better if they added Allen.
3. Caron Butler
8 of 10
Caron Butler got the nod over Allen because he's a more versatile scorer in a better part of his career. Head-to-head in their prime, Allen is a much better player.
Butler is yet another player in the free agent pool that has been injured for a good chunk of time. When he was healthy, the Dallas Mavericks were one of the scariest teams in the league.
Butler proved that he could score way back in his rookie season with the Miami Heat. His best days were spent in Washington with the Wizards, where he and Antawn Jamison teamed up to pace the Wizards offense.
Butler is a willing shooter, and he's drastically improved his field goal percentage from three-point range. At age 31, Butler could be gearing up to sign his last long-term contract and find the team he wants to end his career with.
2. J.R. Smith
9 of 10
Some people may call me crazy for this pick, but I'm a huge believer in what this guy can do when he's on his game. J.R. Smith is truly an offensive whiz-kid. He's still only 25 years old, which people tend to forget.
He's been highly disappointing in the playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder, but he's on a unit without a true identity. If given a solid starting role on a team, he could take the shots without thinking that if he missed them, he'd be benched. Too much pressure on each release causes some cold streaks for J.R.
When he's feeling it, he can shoot from anywhere. Smith will randomly go off for 30-plus points and six threes in a game. He's also very smooth around the rim, finding ways to finish regardless of the situation.
J.R. Smith needs a change of scenery, and a team that trusts him more than the Denver Nuggets do.
1. Jamal Crawford
10 of 10
Jamal Crawford is the best scorer in the league off the bench.
Lamar Odom may have won the Sixth Man of the Year award, but it was his versatility and value that helped him beat out Crawford. In two of the three playoff games this year, Crawford has led the Atlanta Hawks in scoring.
What other bench player can say that?
Crawford can do it all, but his forte is definitely his jump shot. His quickness and ability to pull up at any given point make him such a scary offensive threat. The only reason he doesn't start is because he's on a very guard-heavy Atlanta squad.
There are many teams out there looking for a shooting guard. Chicago might be a good venue for Crawford to explore. He may be able to succeed if put in a backcourt with Derrick Rose.
One thing's for sure, Crawford shouldn't settle for coming off the bench. There are not 30 shooting guards in the NBA that deserve starting roles over him.
Who do you think is the best scorer in the free agent pool? Comment and let me know.
