NBA Free Agency 2012: 7 Free Agents With the Most to Prove Next Year

The 2012 free agency period will be loaded with marquee free agents like Dwight Howard, Deron Williams and Chris Paul, all of whom are expected to receive hefty contracts.

However, some players such as Chris Kaman and D.J. Augustin to name a couple, will have to perform at the highest level to ensure they can earn mega money like the aforementioned superstars.

Every player on this list deserves a premier contract, but with the new salary cap seemingly being structured more stringently, teams will be looking to receive the biggest bang for their buck possible.

Although the amount of talent may outweigh that of the 2010 free-agent class, money is likely to be tighter and unfortunately for the players, isn't likely to be given out as freely as it was in 2010.

The 2012 free-agency pool will be deep, as there will be plenty of talented players on the market. Certain players who may deserve a sizable deal may not receive one if they don't make the 2011-2012 season count, and with the lockout likely to shorten the season, they will have no games to waste.

7. Mehmet Okur

While his name hasn't been mentioned in NBA circles for quite awhile, it wasn't too long ago he was one of the best shooting big men in the league.

Although his days of averaging 18 points and seven rebounds per game are likely behind him, I think him having a healthy season, or half a season depending on the length of the lockout, could land him a fairly nice contract.

I feel like he could play the kind of role for a contender that the Boston Celtics had in mind for Troy Murphy when they signed him, although that experiment turned out to be a futile one.

His days with the Utah Jazz are likely over since they have Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson as the starters, and also Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter who are both promising prospects to man the middle for years to come.

6. Jason Thompson

While Jason Thompson is probably the most underwhelming name on the list, he deserves a mention here because of the potential he has shown to be a solid big man and because of the situation that faces him in the upcoming season.

Samuel Dalembert is now a free agent and will likely be signing elsewhere, so it seemed as if playing time had finally opened up for Thompson. That was until they went and acquired the dynamic talents of J.J. Hickson.

With a promising young frontline which features, DeMarcus Cousins and J.J. Hickson, it's hard to imagine Thompson receiving much playing time.

However, he has shown glimpses of what could make him a promising acquisition for a team in the 2012 offseason, since he averaged 8.8 PPG and 6.1 RPG in only 23 minutes of play in 75 games.

If he wants to catch the eye of another team in 2012, Thompson is going to have to either improve upon or replicate those impressive numbers he posted in the 2010-2011 season in order to receive a nice pay day from teams that will likely be trying to spend their money wisely, due to a potentially tighter salary cap.

5. D.J. Augustin

Although I do have a feeling that Augustin is going to receive a nice contract from a team desiring a point guard of the future, the backcourt situation which faces him now is going to be challenging for him.

After the Charlotte Bobcats traded away Raymond Felton, it seemed as though the starting job was D.J. Augustin's to lose, that is until they drafted the charismatic Kemba Walker in the 2011 NBA draft.

The issue that faces Augustin is that he and Walker are both undersized guards, topping out at only six feet each.

While the glass half-full theory states that they will be very hard to guard, given their tremendous speed. The glass half-empty theory, and unfortunately more logical one, is that they will both be getting killed on defense when they are up against bigger guards and will have a harder time scoring the ball when they play teams with larger backcourt pairings.

Although it is entirely possible that the experiment of Walker and Augustin works out positively for the Bobcats, due to the talent of both players, it is also very unlikely.

If Augustin wants a big contract, he will have to play well alongside Walker, especially if he wants to return to the Bobcats for the 2012-2013 season.

4. Chris Kaman

If Chris Kaman were healthy, there would be no need to place him on this list. Unfortunately for him, he only played in 32 games last season.

Add to the fact that he is playing behind the up and coming burly DeAndre Jordan, and it will be tough for him to convince teams why they should pay him the big bucks.

At a humongous seven feet tall and husky 256 pounds. Kaman is sure to attract attention on the free-agent market, since players of his size don't exactly grow on trees in the NBA.

However, if he duplicates another season like the one he had in 2010-2011 where he only played a total of 32 games, teams may look for a healthier player to invest their money in, as they will believe that the risk may well outweigh the reward.

3. Roy Hibbert

Roy Hibbert performed extremely well for the first half of the 2010-2011 season, making it look like the training he put in with the legendary Bill Walton was paying major dividends for the Indiana Pacers.

Unfortunately for them, as the season wore on Hibbert's confidence in his game was missing and it was evident in the box score. Sure he posted a big game here and there but nothing like the consistent monster numbers he was posting in the beginning of the season.

That all being said though, he is still very young at 24 years old and will almost certainly improve upon his 2010-2011 season averages of 12.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG and 1.8 blocks per game.

Standing at a massive 7'2" and weighing in at 278 pounds, it's hard to imagine the Pacers don't lock him up long term, however improving upon his numbers, and becoming more consistent will only help him to get a longer more lucrative deal.

2. Russell Westbrook

This name is easily the most shocking one to make the list. He's one of the most athletic and dynamic point guards in the NBA and also one of the best defenders at his position. So who could he possibly have to impress? Well unfortunately will all of those accolades, he still has his doubters.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been anointed by many to become the NBA's next dynasty and Westbrook seemed to help make as many doubters as he did believers in that statement.

During the 2011 playoffs, he seemed to get a bit star struck and started taking shots he had absolutely no business taking, especially when you have the sharpest shooter in the NBA in Kevin Durant on your team.

To make matters worse, James Harden played absolutely stellar ball and proved why he was worthy of such a high draft pick, taken at No. 3 in the 2009 NBA draft.

Although Harden isn't the team's point guard of the future, he has a Brandon Roy feel to his game, that allows him to be the playmaker and the scorer depending on the situation.

If Westbrook is looking to be a part of the best up and coming team in the NBA, then he needs to start making better decisions as far as shooting the ball is concerned.

His statistical numbers on paper are very impressive, the one he must improve upon however are his shooting percentages.

The best way for him to do that, is to take the ball to the rim and if he doesn't have that option open to him, he would be wiser passing the ball off to Kevin Durant or James Harden to make a smarter play.

1. Michael Beasley

Minnesota Timberwolves fans should've been thrilled when they acquired Michael Beasley, since they got him for practically nothing. However, there is good reason why he came at such a cheap price.

His talents on the court are well documented, but his behavior off of it are what is most worrisome about him. Many believe he has the potential to become the next Carmelo Anthony, and while that may be true, plenty of players have potential that goes unfilled.

Beasley has had several problems with the law regarding marijuana possession and most recently shoved a fan's face, because the guy mouthed off to him at Dyckman Park. Granted he apologized to the fan later, but you can see he still has a way to go when it comes to his maturity.

His scoring ability is very impressive, but unless his maturity can catch up to his talent, he may be stuck in basketball Siberia in Minnesota for a long time. 

Keep in mind Kevin Love isn't going to want to pair up with a player he can't rely on either, so Beasley's maturity actually has a major effect on the franchise's future and whether or not Kevin Love is apart of it or not.