NBA Free Agents 2011: 12 Most Dangerous Offensive Weapons Available

The 2011 summer free agency class won't save any franchises and it certainly won't turn the NBA world upside down as it did in 2010. However, what this free agency class represents is a chance to build and prepare for the 2012 free agency class that features All-Stars Dwight Howard and Chris Paul. Teams like the New Orleans Hornets and Orlando Magic possibly have their franchise reputation for the next decade on the line if they can't find pieces this season.

There aren't too many big names that are set to lead a franchise in this year's class, but there are plenty of role players to help build up a franchise. The perennial All-Stars will come next season, so for now the 30 organizations of the league will have to look towards specialists. For this piece, we look towards the scoring specialists and what will become of them in this mediocre free agent class.

Compared to last year, this is a dismal free agency period. However, it still has its fair share of quality players that can provide a number one option with a solid number two scorer. Three-point specialists and even specialists around the rim will be featured and will most likely be overpaid as well due to the lack of quality players that organizations would usually throw money at.

Many teams will be looking to fill in pieces before they look for that premier player. The cellar dwellers of the league might have to wait another year before they can look forward to success unless they have young talent that they can rely on. Even without the star power of 2010, this off-season could still be a very interesting one as teams either look to fill holes or attempt to build up a team in time for next year's more illustrious class.

Here are 12 of the top scorers that this year's free agency class has to offer:

12. Michael Redd

A monumental risk, but a risk that a team could be willing to take for the right price.

For the past three years, Milwaukee Bucks guard Michael Redd has suffered from a countless number of ACL and MCL injuries that have shortened his season. In three years he has played 61 total games and hasn't played in more than 33 games in a single season since the 2008-09 campaign. He has succumbed to a series of unfortunate events that include re-tearing the same ACL and MCL that he just had surgery on the year before.

When he was healthy, Redd was one of the league's top three-point shooters. He has averaged as many as 26 points per game and has shot as well as 44 percent from beyond the arc. Prior to the myriad of injuries, Redd was an All-Star who was also attempting to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to greener pastures. For his career, he has averaged almost two three-pointers per game on 38 percent shooting.

The only positive about the injuries is that they don't apply to his shooting form. A shooter's hands are the most important part of his shot and they usually need every finger in tact to maintain the same shooting motion that they have used for years. While a shooter's legs have just as much to do with it since they need the lift to shoot from upwards of 30 feet out, it still doesn't compare to just how much their hands mean to the shot.

The Bucks are willing to let Redd walk after so many years of heartbreak and he could now be pursued by teams that are ready to take a risk on a player who has the ACL and MCL of an arthritic-ridden marathon runner.

11. Carl Landry

For what is sure to be a tough off-season for the New Orleans Hornets, they will most likely have to decide either between re-signing longtime Hornet David West or the recently acquired Carl Landry.

While Landry doesn't possess the mid-range game of West, he has a superior post game and is only 27 years old. After his first two seasons in the league when he failed to average solid double-digits in points, Landry broke out in his third year as a member of the Houston Rockets and averaged 16 points per game before being traded to the Sacramento Kings where he would average 18 points in 28 games. His numbers have dropped since then due to his role on the team being transitioned to the bench.

Landry only spent 23 games with the Hornets and averaged only 12 points and four rebounds off the bench. It wasn't until West succumbed to an injury that Landry would get the start and would begin to truly make his impression felt. In the Hornets' postseason series against the Los Angeles Lakers, Landry was key in helping extend the series to six games. He averaged 16 points and five rebounds in the series and continued to prove how impressive of a post threat he was.

The Hornets' loss of one of their two power forwards will be a gain to any team that is willing to take a shot on a healthy power forward who still has plenty of upside.

10. Vince Carter

It's been a long and tiring career for Vince Carter. He started his career in 1998 as a member of the Toronto Raptors before giving up on the team and then being sent to New Jersey. It would be there that he would come as close as he's ever been to the NBA Finals. He would then stop in Orlando for two seasons and is now currently a member of the Phoenix Suns.

Not for long, however, since word is spreading that Carter is possibly being bought out by Phoenix.

Carter is going to be an interesting case during this year's free agency period. He is coming off of a 51-game season with Phoenix where he averaged 14 points per game, as well as hitting 37 percent of his three-point attempts. Vinsanity is completely capable of being a pure scorer from anywhere on the court, but we also have to remember that he is will be 35 years old at the start of next season and that could affect the value of the contract that he will receive.

There will be plenty of teams ready to contend for Carter this off-season, but they will be hesitant in their offer due to his age. Vince is a young 35 as he has yet to lose a season due to any type of injury and that's a huge positive to any team looking to sign the former All-Star and Slam Dunk champion.

9. Jason Richardson

With word coming in that Orlando Magic guard Jason Richardson will most likely be allowed to walk, there are sure to be a number of teams that are looking forward to possibly signing the multi-dimensional offensive threat.

Richardson is mostly remembered for his high-flying acrobatics, but it's his three-point shot that does the talking for the rest of his game. He has averaged a little below two three-pointers per game for his career and has shot 37 percent from deep as well. His most impressive shooting seasons have come most recently as a member of the Magic and the Suns, where he has been averaging six three-point attempts per game over the past two years.

He was nearly making three three-pointers per game two years ago as member of the Suns and was also converting on 42 percent of his three-pointers. The 42 percent is a career high for a full season that he has played.

Set to be only 31 years old at the start of the 2011-12 campaign, Richardson should be highly coveted as a three-point threat as well as a slasher. It was only a few years ago that he was dropping our jaws with his dunks and we can't assume for a minute that he doesn't have it in him. He might be recognized today solely as a three-point threat, but Jason can still keep defenses honest with his ability to drive.

8. Thaddeus Young

It's going to be tough to believe that the Philadelphia 76ers would allow Thaddeus Young to walk, but there are teams out there that are desperate enough to offer the athletic standout a ridiculous deal just for the possible chance that he can save a franchise.

Young has been outstanding in his first three years in the league, but is limited off the bench due to the Sixers starting Elton Brand. If it was any sign of things to come, Young was averaging 15 points per game in his rookie season when he received 34 minutes per game and started. Now that he is coming off the bench and only playing 26 minutes per contest, Young is averaging only 13 points.

Thaddeus will soon be in competition for Sixth Man of the Year, but he could be a starter on more than half of the teams in the NBA today. He has the athleticism, defense, and the rebounding to be an All-Star in the near future as well as having the talent to be one of the league's premier power forwards. Young has a steady mid-range game and can use his athleticism to score from just about anywhere inside the paint

7. Marc Gasol

Remember when we used to know Marc Gasol as the fatter, hairier brother of Pau?

In only three short years, Marc has quietly emerged as one of the NBA's top up-and-coming centers as a member of the Memphis Grizzlies. He has averaged at least 12 points and seven rebounds per game in each season and recently led the team to its first semifinals appearance in franchise history. Not only did he lead them to the semis, but he helped defeat the No. 1 seed San Antonio Spurs before pushing the Oklahoma City Thunder to seven games.

In this year's postseason, Gasol and Zach Randolph combined to form one of the NBA's top front courts. Gasol averaged 15 points and 11 rebounds per game and helped eliminate Tim Duncan as a post threat thanks to his size and quickness. Marc is a rare breed in this league as he can actually produce on the offensive end despite being a center, while actually being able to keep the offense within the paint.

Three years ago, we only knew Marc as the draft pick that sent his older brother to Los Angeles. By next season, we could be looking at him as the superior Gasol as the Grizzlies begin to rise and the Lakers begin to descend.

6. Nick Young

With no Gilbert Arenas, the Washington Wizards needed a savior on the offensive end of the floor. John Wall wasn't going to be the answer and neither were the injured Rashard Lewis and Josh Howard. Instead of looking to their rookie or to their veterans, they elected to look towards their fourth year athletic freak in Nick Young.

For the first time in his career, Young was averaging over 30 minutes per game and was taking full advantage of it. He averaged a career high of 17 points per game last season and was also hitting a career high of two three-pointers per game to go along with the 39 percent shooting from deep. Young is a multi-dimensional scorer who can kill you from deep, but can also take you off the dribble and dunk over your head when given the chance.

He scored a career high of 43 points earlier in the season in a win against the Sacramento Kings when he hit seven of his 10 three-pointers. He also scored 38 points in a loss against the Miami Heat when he hit six of eight three-point attempts. In 64 games, Young scored 30 points or more on eight occasions and quietly became the offensive leader for the Wizards.

Young is one of many athletic youngsters on this Wizards team and he could help lead the team to an eventual postseason run if he is re-signed.

5. Marcus Thornton

I'll never forget the day that I saw Marcus Thornton in action for the first time. It was the first round of the 2009 NCAA Tournament and he had just led his LSU Tigers to a win over the Butler Bulldogs. Thornton scored 30 points and it was at that point that I realized an offensive juggernaut was born.

If only I were drafting and not Pat Riley.

Sure enough, I'm right at this point. After one and a half somewhat quiet seasons in New Orleans, Thornton broke out when he was traded to the Sacramento Kings in the deal that sent Carl Landry to the Hornets. In the 27 games he played for the Kings, Thornton averaged 21 points per game, hit two three-pointers per game, and was shooting 36 percent from deep as he emerged as the Kings number one scoring option.

He recently scored a career high of 42 points in a win over Golden State late this past season.

Thornton is a multi-dimensional scorer who can score from inside and out and it would be very unwise of the Sacramento Kings to allow Thornton to walk. It's possible that many organizations' attention won't focus on a second year player like Thornton, but they should take notice that he will be one of the league's best scorers, as well as a perennial All-Star, in a very short time.

4. J.R. Smith

He might not have the best attitude of this free agency class, but he might have the most dangerous three-point shot among this year's crop of free agents. He and Jamal Crawford are both lethal shooters from deep, but Smith carries the advantage of youth and that's what could net him a large deal from a team looking for a three-point threat as well as a slasher. Smith will be 26 years old heading into next season, compared to Crawford who will be 32.

The Denver Nuggets forward has consistently been the team's best three-point shooter and continued the trend this season by hitting 39 percent of his three-point attempts. His minutes dropped from 28 to 25 per game and it caused him to take four fewer shots per contest than the season before. For four consecutive seasons, Smith was averaging at least two three-pointers per game and had averaged as many as 15 points per game.

Smith's personality could cost him a few millions, but his jump shot and athleticism will make up for it. Any team looking for a multi-dimensional threat like Smith will jump at the opportunity to possibly sign a player of his caliber.

3. David West

Possibly the most consistent and underrated shooter of our time, New Orleans Hornets forward David West has quietly become one of the league's top mid-range threats. With Chris Paul by his side finding him open shots, West takes advantage of nearly every occasion and has averaged as many as 21 points per game when doing so.

Even without Paul, West has proven that he can manage without him. During the 2009-10 season when CP3 was only able to play in 45 games, David managed to average 19 points per game while emerging as the team's offensive leader as well. His mid-range game is one of the best in the league today and any team will bite at the chance to have as good a shooter as West has become in his first eight years. He hasn't averaged below 17 points per game since his second year when he was still a seldom used player off the bench.

West recently opted for free agency and will now be available for the taking. Since Chris Paul is one year away from free agency, the Hornets are sure to make a few interesting moves to keep Paul in New Orleans with the possible re-signing of West being one. He's been an asset to the team for eight years and it would be hard to believe that the Hornets would allow him to just walk unless they possibly re-sign and then trade him away.

As the perfect definition of a reliable role player, West is sure to receive lucrative offers from any team with the funds and the need for a player of his caliber.

2. Caron Butler

The Dallas Mavericks were able to beat a Miami Heat team that dominated every opponent in the Eastern Conference in only six games. It makes it hard to believe that the Mavericks were able to pull this off despite not having Rodrigue Beaubois, Corey Brewer, and most importantly Caron Butler who was proving to be the perfect second scoring option during his short regular season.

Butler only played 29 games before suffering a knee injury that forced him to sit out the rest of the regular season and the entire postseason. He averaged 15 points, four rebounds, and three assists before suffering the injury that cut a promising season short. With the team mostly comprised of shooters, Butler adds some versatility by being the team's best slasher. He was able to thrive in the rotation thanks to shooters like Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry freeing him up for easy scores around the basket.

Caron has averaged as many as 21 points per game during the 2008-09 season as a member of the Washington Wizards when he emerged as one of the team's main scoring options. He has averaged under double-digits only once in his career and that came while he was a member of the Miami Heat when he took a back seat to Lamar Odom, Eddie Jones, and newly drafted Dwyane Wade.

It would be unwise of the Mavericks to lose Butler since he is their best slasher, but they have a lot on their plate this free agency with five other players being listed as unrestricted free agents. Caron is sure to be the number one priority for the Mavericks this off-season.

1. Jamal Crawford

For only the second time in his 10 year career, the Atlanta Hawks' Jamal Crawford made it to the postseason. It was also the second time that Crawford had a quality postseason appearance when he was regarded as the number one scoring option for his team despite coming off the bench. He led the Hawks to the semifinals after averaging 15 points per game and hitting 35 percent of his three-pointers.

With free agency looming, Crawford might have earned himself a hefty paycheck thanks to his latest playoff performance when he scored at least 23 points in each of the first four games of the Hawks' first-round series against the Orlando Magic. The Hawks guard hit 13 three-pointers in those four games and was the key player in the Hawks' first-round upset over their division rivals.

However, Jamal only averaged 14 points per game during the regular season, his lowest total since the 2005-06 campaign when he was a member of the New York Knicks, and also only hit 34 percent of his three-pointers as well. Despite the abnormally low totals for Crawford, he is still highly valued and coveted as one of the league's most lethal three-point shooters and should expect a big pay day coming his way from Atlanta and a myriad of other teams that are looking for a perimeter threat.

Crawford will be nearly 32 years old by the start of next season and could be on the way out since Atlanta has most of its money tied up in Joe Johnson.