2011 NBA Free Agents: 4 Available FAs Who Would Push Contender over the Top

The 2010 free agency period was one of the most memorable in league history.

Teams courted potential players like never before. Players converged like never before and planned out their final destination based upon where their friends wanted to play.

The 2010 free agency period changed the landscape of the league and turned the Miami Heat into a championship contender for years to come.

The 2011 free agency period doesn’t have any superstars that can leave one team in the dust and turn a loser into a perennial winner. But it does have players who can push teams over the edge.

There are players who can be that one little, missing piece for an already proven team and push that team over the edge.

Here are four players who can do just that.

Jamal Crawford, G, Atlanta Hawks

For the past two seasons, Crawford has come off of the Atlanta Hawks’ bench and been one of the best sixth men in the game. He has the Sixth Man of the Year award from 2010 to prove it.

The 2010-11 season was somewhat of a down year for Crawford whose points per game total dropped to 14.2 after four straight seasons of a 17.6 points per game average or better (including a career-high 20.6 points per game average in the 2007-08 season).

Crawford can still come off of a contending team’s bench and make an impact on the offensive end. He shot 42.1 percent from the field last year which was above his career average (41 percent).

 

 

J.R. Smith, G, Denver Nuggets

Like Crawford, Smith’s value lies on the offensive side of the ball, specifically as a scorer. He could come off of a contending team’s bench and provide an instant offense spark. For his career, he’s never averaged more than five of anything besides points, minutes and field goal attempts or makes.

Two of the past three seasons Smith has averaged 15 points or more per game. Four of the past five seasons Smith has shot 43.5 percent from the field or better (the one exception occurred in 2009-2010 when he shot 41.4 percent).

Smith, despite a seven-year career, is only 25 years old and could still improve as he continues to grow as a player.

Kris Humphries, F, New Jersey Nets

Humphries was drafted 14th overall in the 2004 NBA Draft to be a physical power forward that could rebound and score the basketball relatively well.

Through the first six seasons of his NBA career Humphries never averaged more than 8.1 points or 6.5 rebounds per game.

In the 2010-11 season it all changed. Humphries was one of 13 players to average a double-double last season (10 points and 10.4 rebounds per game). His 10.4 boards a game were fifth-best.

Humphries’ numbers would take a hit on a better team in which he wasn’t the lone player with stellar rebounding ability, as was the case with the Nets last year, but he’s proving he can be a physical forward in this league.

He could serve as a good bench player for a contender looking for some toughness and physicality off the bench.

Marc Gasol, C, Memphis Grizzlies

Although his brother, Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol, is more gifted offensively (18.8 point per game career average compared to Marc's 12.6), Marc is bigger (7’1”, 265 pounds), stronger and tougher than Pau (7’0”, 250 pounds).

Unlike Pau, Marc is a traditional big man. He battles inside with anyone and isn’t afraid to get dirty.

Marc (11.7 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game in 2010-11) could start for a contender and provide a serious interior presence or come off of the bench and make a difference on a contending team in need of interior help. And he can do so for a number of years as he’ll just turn 27 on Jan. 29.