NBA Free Agents 2011: 10 Best Long-range Shooters

If there is indeed a 2011-12 NBA basketball season, there will be plenty of long-range shooters ton the market who could really help a team trying to make the playoffs.

The NBA Lockout has dominated the preseason talk as it approaches 80 days, and it’s a real shame when you think about the free agents who are up for grabs.

Teams that have a strong post game but need great shooters on the outside, like the Memphis Grizzlies, could use a veteran shooter like Peja  Stojakovic, or Tracy McGrady if he can somehow stay healthy.

There are so many great long-range shooters who are going to be free agents once the league gets over this whole lockout thing. Players like Caron Butler, Daequan Cook, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Jamal Crawford, Rasual Butler, Marcus Thornton and Aaron Brooks could all land on new teams once the season starts.

These are the will-be long-range shooters who can make the biggest impact on whichever team they decide to join.

Nick Young

Nick Young is a young, athletic player who shoots at a very high percentage.

Young is coming off of a career-high 17.4 points per game last season with the Washington Wizards and has certainly turned heads around the league.

Young shot 44 percent from the field and 39 percent beyond the arc. He definitely has the ability to help turn a team from a pretender into a contender.

Marcus Thornton

This guy is streaky, but when he is hot, he is lethal.

Marcus Thornton is entering his third year in the NBA and has averaged 13.6 points per game in his career.

Thornton is a streaky shooter who can give teams more firepower on offense. When he’s on, he rarely misses, and he could be a valuable asset when a team is struggling to produce points.

Aaron Brooks

Aaron Brooks has lost some steam since he first entered the league and was tearing it up with the Houston Rockets, but rest assured, Brooks can still stroke it from the outside.

In his career, Brooks has averaged 12.5 points per game and has shot 41 percent from the field.

Anthony Parker

For a man who was able to shoot over 40 percent from beyond the arc in his career, it’s safe to say that Anthony Parker is one of the top ten long-range shooters on the market.

Parker has played all around the world, as he’s played in the United States, Israel and Italy, and now he could find himself moving once again.

Whoever picks up Parker, they will inherit a guy that has been able to produce offensively, as he’s averaged 9.3 points per game in his NBA career.

Jamal Crawford

One of the better players who will be on the market after the lockout will be this guy, Jamal Crawford.

Crawford has impressed teams all around the league as he’s managed to average 15.4 points per game and has kept a steady field goal percentage of 41 percent.

Atlanta had better hold on to Crawford and better hold on tight, because teams will be chomping at the bit to add a player of this magnitude to their roster.

DeShawn Stevenson

When you look at DeShawn Stevenson’s numbers on paper, they don’t exactly wow you, but he’ll benefit from helping the Dallas Mavericks win the NBA World Championship.

In his career, Stevenson has averaged 7.7 points per game and has shot for 34 percent from downtown.

Like I said, not exactly eye-popping numbers, but I look for Stevenson to be treated like a valuable commodity on the market.

Mario Chalmers

I look for the Miami Heat to try to keep a deathgrip on Mario Chalmers in the free agency market because he is extremely valuable for this Heat team.

LeBron James is always creating open shooters and perhaps one of his best attributes is finding the open man.

The Heat will need a great outside shooter, and Chalmers was that guy and can continue to be that guy. Last season, Chalmers shot 40 percent from the floor and 35 percent from behind the arc.

Delonte West

When he’s open, Delonte West can find the bottom of the net.

Over his career, West has managed to shoot for 45 percent from the floor and 37 percent from the three-point line.

Wherever West lands, he’ll definitely give that team another long range threat.

James Jones

Long-range shooting is James Jones' specialty. Last season with the Miami Heat, Jones managed to shoot 43 percent from beyond the arc.

Like I said earlier, James is great at finding the open shooter, and they will want to keep Jones on the roster to keep that deep threat dimension within the offense.

Caron Butler

Like Crawford, Caron Butler is a valuable commodity who will contribute to any team that signs him. Through his career, Butler has averaged 44 percent from the field and averaged 16.6 points per game.

Butler is one of the more notable names to be on the free agent market alongside Tim Duncan, David West and Crawford. Butler will generate a lot of interest throughout the league once this dreadful lockout ends.