NBA Free Agents 2012: Unlikely Destinations for 2012 Free Agents That Make Sense

With the lockout holding NBA fans hostage for the past two months, there is very little to talk about in terms of player movement except for the rumors about various players taking their talents overseas.

The free agency period this season would be full of some decent players and a few guys that could alter a team into a title contender, but it pales in comparison to the free agent bonanza that we are sure to have next season.

In a class where Kevin Garnett, Jason Kidd and Andre Miller are afterthoughts, then you know you have a good free agent class coming up.

The 2012 free agents will include Dwight Howard, Steve Nash, Deron Williams and Chris Paul, along with the 2008 draft class becoming restricted free agents which would include Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love.

Now, Garnett, Kidd and Miller are still very much able to improve a team, but they aren't the cream of this crop, and neither are the restricted guys who are likely to stay on their teams for the most part.

So, that leaves us with Howard, Nash, Williams and Paul as the marquee guys of this class.

Steve Nash-Atlanta Hawks

This one would take some cap clearing moves, but Steve Nash going to the Atlanta Hawks would make them title contenders overnight (let's be honest, they are a good team but not title contenders with the competition in the East).

If they could find a way to either clear space this season with a few trades getting rid of some of their contracts that don't expire until after 2012 and trade for Nash then they would be a force of nature.

Pairing Nash with Joe Johnson, Al Horford, and Josh Smith would turn them into an offensive machine and make them good enough on defense to hide Nash on the defensive end of the floor.

There is one thing it would be guaranteed to do, however, seeing Nash in a Hawks uniform would be the strangest thing since seeing Terrell Owens in a Bills uniform.

Nash-Houston Rockets

Steve Nash joining the Houston Rockets in 2012 would not only make them the best team in Texas, but possibly title contenders.

Right now they are a feisty team capable of scrapping their way into a playoff spot, but with Nash they would have the leadership and the offensive captain that would make them a force.

They only have three players locked up for 2012, Kevin Martin, Luis Scola and Kyle Lowry, who could make his way nicely as a backup point guard.

Houston could then pick and choose from the six players they have team options on and the rest of the free agent crop, making them a very interesting team in the playoffs.

Deron Williams-Sacramento Kings

This is completely contingent on Sacramento and the Maloof Brothers actually deciding that spending money on a winning basketball team would be a worthwhile investment.

The Kings have a nice core of players, just no real leadership with Tyreke Evans, DeMarcus Cousins, JJ Hickson and whatever Jimmer Fredette could be for them.

Bringing in Deron Williams would bring in one of the best point guards in the NBA to be the leader and glue that puts together their team.

Give them a few years and a few extra draft picks and they would end up being a potential title contender depending on how the rest of the team develops over the next few years.

Williams-Toronto Raptors

Forget the fact that Deron Williams seems to want to play for a team in a big city or with multiple superstars for a second and look at the Toronto Raptors as a team.

Toronto has a good center in Adrea Bargnani who just needs to learn to be toughened up, a promising young small forward in DeMar DeRozan who could end up being as good as Danny Granger is for the Pacers and a big man in Jonas Valanciunas coming in that could very well be a great player.

Combine that with cap space the following year when they end up getting rid of Jose Calderon's horrendous contract and another high draft pick coming this year and you have yourself quite a good team with a bit of a spit shine.

Williams-Los Angeles Clippers

He wants big city living, he wants another superstar and ultimately you would have to think that he wants to win himself a title, so why is nobody talking about Deron Williams going to the Clippers?

Blake Griffin is going to be one of the best power forwards of the next decade so long as the curse that haunts the Clippers doesn't make his knees explode, plus they have DeAndre Jordan who is going to be a very good center and Eric Gordon, an up-and-coming shooting guard.

Put Deron Williams on that team and give them a year to play together and develop and you have yourself a team that could easily compete with the top tier of teams in the Western Conference.

Chirs Paul-Utah Jazz

How would that be for poetic justice for Deron Williams if Chris Paul were to take over his old team and run them to the playoffs?

Looking at the roster the Jazz has and their potential to be a playoff team without a real franchise player right now makes it seem less far-fetched than it sounds.

Utah has the young Enes Kanter who could be the best thing to come of this year's draft, Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap and Derrick Favors.

Pair that with another decent draft pick in 2012, Golden State's first rounder in 2012 (top-seven protected) and cap space coming in 2013 when Devin Harris' and Jefferson's contracts come off their books and you have a great foundation.

Paul-Houston Rockets

Chris Paul fits the mentality that the Houston Rockets have right now, as he is a natural born leader who could take control of this scrappy bunch of players and turn them into a team with a direction.

Paul paired with Luis Scola and Kevin Martin with Kyle Lowry backing him up is a nice start to a team, add in some future free agents and some of their players on team options.

Houston, if handled correctly could be a very good year in the coming years.

Paul-LA Clippers

I am thoroughly convinced that Los Angeles is the best option for any of the big name free agent point guards, which makes me think the Clippers are playing their cards close to the chest, because we have heard nothing about them making a play for any of them.

The Clippers are one of the best up-and-coming teams in all of basketball, and the most important piece they have to fill is at point guard.

Just think of having Blake Griffin, Eric Gordon and DeAndre Jordan having a point guard like Paul, who not only brings a great all-around game, but great leadership with him as well.

They would instantly rocket into the top four teams in the West and within a few years they would be sparring to get to the finals, possibly even getting more love than the Lakers for the first time in their existence.

Dwight Howard-Minnesota Timberwolves

For both of the teams that I have found capable destinations for Dwight Howard, you would have to ignore the fact that he would be going to cities that aren't exactly sexy to basketball players.

However, with Minnesota having Kevin Love as the base of their team plus Ricky Rubio and Derrick Williams coming in this season, they could be a good and interesting team this year, and possibly good enough to make Dwight take a second look.

Put Dwight Howard down low for the Timberwolves and add the fact that they would probably still have cap space after they sign him and you would have yourself a nice team in 2012-13 that should easily make the playoffs and could be title contenders the following year.

They also have a 2012 first round pick from Utah (top-14 protected), a 2013 first rounder from Memphis (same) and three second round picks from other teams over the next few years plus their own picks which they can either use to continue to improve their team or trade for a starter.

Howard-Cleveland Cavaliers

Yes, I know, nobody in the world want's to go to Cleveland, or at least that's the reputation it has, but Cleveland has a bright future that would make things interesting for a pitch to a big free agent.

Cleveland is not going to be a good team this year, even with Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson coming in, but they are building a great core.

They should have another top-five pick in the 2012 draft which will give them another starter and potential franchise guy with how deep that draft will be.

That would give them a starting five of Kyrie Irving, 2012 draft pick, random small forward (we'll get to that later), Tristan Thompson and Anderson Varejao.  Add Dwight Howard to that and you move Varejao to the bench (one of the best sixth men) along with Boobie Gibson and Ramon Sessions.

Then, they have Miami's 2013 and 2015 first round picks and three second rounders over the next three years, along with their own picks and Baron Davis' expiring contract as trade bait for a small forward.  Small forwards they could trade for could be anyone from Rudy Gay to Danny Granger.

There's a good team for you.

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