NBA Lockout: 15 Players Most Likely To Be on New Squads When Season Starts

Optimism is high that the NBA lockout is entering its final stretch and that a new collective bargaining agreement may be reached soon—which means, lo and behold, teams can begin thinking about basketball again.

And perhaps the biggest question for the shortened NBA offseason: Who will be switching teams before the season begins?

Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports that the league is preparing a new 82-game schedule in case a agreement is reached soon, but even if a new CBA is ratified tonight, the rush to have set rosters will be unprecedented.

Much like the NFL offseason, condensed to meet the start of the season, players will be traded and free agents will sign far quicker than in a normal offseason. Fans and players alike won't have as much time to get used to roster moves and player swaps.

The biggest threat for a lot of players is a potential amnesty clause, which if included in the new CBA would likely allow tons of teams to clear up their cap space and drop a ton of talent into the already-crazy free agency.

Let's take a look at 15 players who are likely to be on new teams by the start of the regular season.

Andre Iguodala

Andre Iguodala was one of the hottest trade commodities of the summer before the lockout struck. According to Sam Amick of Sports Illustrated, the 76ers were in negotiations with the Lakers for an Iguodala/Lamar Odom swap.

If the 76ers were willing to consider trading Iguodala for an aging, over-the-hill Odom, they must seriously want him gone.

Iguodala isn't worth the near-max contract he currently is on, but he's one of the more underrated players in the league. He's a very solid scorer, an excellent defender and would certainly help out a ton of teams. But with all the rumors that floated around before the lockout started, it's unlikely he'll be a 76er at the start of the season.

Baron Davis

The Clippers so wanted Baron Davis out of town that they took on a longer contract (Mo Williams) and gave the Cavaliers their 2011 first-round selection.

That pick ended up being the top pick in the 2011 draft, which the Cavaliers used to take Duke point guard Kyrie Irving.

If the new CBA does in fact come with an amnesty clause attached, the Cavs would almost certainly use it on Davis. With Irving as the new face of their franchise, they'd be smart to get the aging locker-room trouble Davis out of town.

Davis is a great player when motivated, which means getting amnestied wouldn't be a bad thing for him. It could allow him a chance to sign with a contender and perhaps get some of his mojo back.

David West

David West opted out of his final contract year with the New Orleans Hornets even though he probably knew that with all the uncertainty coming with the NBA lockout he probably won't command as much as he was making on an open free-agent market.

Sounds like a player eager to find a new team.

Reports say that the Nets and Pacers are both interested in the skilled big man, who spent the last few seasons as Chris Paul's go-to man. With his excellent scoring talents and rebounding skills, West may be the best big man on the market.

Elton Brand

Elton Brand looked a lot better this season than he has since signing with the 76ers, averaging 15.0 points and 8.3 boards on 51 percent shooting. He also averaged 15.8 points, 8.4 boards and 1.6 blocks a game on 55 percent shooting in the five-game playoff series against Miami.

However, if an amnesty clause is in the new CBA, it would be the perfect chance for Philadelphia to correct the mistake they made when they signed Brand to a max contract three seasons ago.

There are tons of teams that would like a 15-8 big man, and Brand would certainly command some free-agent attention.

Grant Hill

When you think of Phoenix Suns veterans who should escape Arizona to join a true competitor, it's hard not to think of Steve Nash. In fact, the Suns have two—and Grant Hill is a free agent.

Hill's defense and respected locker-room presence would be an excellent addition to a ton of teams hoping to compete in 2011, and with his career entering its twilight Hill will most certainly look somewhere other than Phoenix.

Teams like Miami, Los Angeles and Boston can all fight over Hill's services, or perhaps a return to Orlando is in the cards for the 16-year veteran.

Jamal Crawford

Jamal Crawford's scoring talents will certainly make him a top free-agent prize this offseason, especially with a ton of competing teams looking to add a third- or fourth-option scorer.

Crawford, who has been one of the league's best bench players over the past few years, is also one of the NBA's best shooters. With Atlanta's future in question, it makes sense that Crawford would bolt to join a team like Chicago, New York or Orlando.

Jason Richardson

Jason Richardson probably had the best season of any of the players the Orlando Magic brought over in their trades last season, but with their cap situation and the fact that Richardson is a free agent, it seems likely they'll have to let him leave.

Richardson averaged 15.6 points and 4.1 rebounds on 46 percent shooting last season, and would be an excellent fit for a team like the Chicago Bulls, who are in desperate need of a decent scoring guard to play alongside MVP Derrick Rose.

JJ Barea

JJ Barea was an excellent spark plug off the bench for the Mavericks in their run to the championship, but with Dallas already over the salary cap and having other free agents to worry about, Barea's chances of returning to Dallas are slim.

With the new CBA likely to lower the cap, the Mavericks also have to worry about re-signing Tyson Chandler and Caron Butler. The most expendable of the three is Barea, who was great off the bench but isn't as good as Chandler or Butler.

Barea's scoring talents will certainly find him a new home and a nice contract when the season eventually starts.

Josh Smith

Josh Smith was the hottest commodity on the trade market this offseason before the lockout derailed the offseason. According to Ken Berger at CBS Sports, the Hawks "have expressed an eagerness to move Smith and would like to shed salary in the process."

Ben Golliver of CBS Sports quotes a league source as saying that "the relationship [between Smith and the Hawks] has run its course.”

Smith's name has been linked to the Magic, but any competitor or hopeful competitor would certainly love to add the athletic swingman. He has career averages of 14.6 points, 7.7 boards and 2.2 blocks and should he end up in Orlando, he'd be an excellent second fiddle to Dwight Howard.

Mike Bibby

Mike Bibby signed with the Miami Heat midseason and many hoped he'd bring a veteran guard presence the team really lacked.

Unfortunately Bibby ended up being a dismal failure for the Heat, where despite starting all 20 playoff games he averaged just 3.8 points on 28 percent shooting.

Bibby, now an unrestricted free agent, will likely part ways with the Heat. Many teams may be wary of signing him for much, considering how poorly he played for Miami, but he'll certainly find a few teams who would be interested in him at a cheap price.

Mike Miller

When the Heat signed Mike Miller last season, he was seen as the perfect role player to fill in alongside his superstar teammates.

Injures and poor play quickly doomed that hope and he saw exceedingly limited playing time in the playoffs. He's owed $24 million over the next four years, getting just five points and four boards in about 20 minutes of playing time.

With a potential amnesty clause in place, the Heat would be smart to cut Miller and work on signing more depth and hope that this time, it doesn't end up so poor an investment. It's going to be hard enough for Miami to deal with three max contracts under a lowered salary cap, so they need to cut costs wherever they can.

Rashard Lewis

Rashard Lewis is owed nearly $46 million over the next three years and is the perfect candidate for an amnesty clause.

Rashard certainly isn't a bad player, but in no way worth the cap space Washington is wasting on him.

Rip Hamilton

It's hard to imagine Rip Hamilton and his nose guard playing for a team other than the Pistons, but it seems likely at this point. He, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, became a locker-room problem last season.

Whether it is done by amnesty or by a trade, Hamilton will find himself with a new home before the season starts. If he ends up a free agent by way of the amnesty clause, teams like Chicago and Boston were already interested in him last season.

Samuel Dalembert

Samuel Dalembert was successful in Sacramento last season, but seems destined to go join a contender. Whether it be New York or Miami (both of which would love a defensive big like Dalembert), it's completely unlikely that Dalembert will stay with the young Kings.

Miami is reportedly interested in the 29-year-old center, but a lot depends on how the new collective bargaining agreement works out free agency.

With a young big core of DeMarcus Cousins, Jason Thompson and newly acquired JJ Hickson, the Kings could certainly use Dalembert's tough defense but he isn't as necessary as he was last year.

Shannon Brown

Shannon Brown has been an excellent spark plug for the Lakers over the past few years, but with the new CBA likely to shrink the salary/hard caps it's unlikely that Los Angeles can offer Brown what he'd deserve.

Brown opted out of the last year of his contract despite the uncertainty of the NBA lockout, which shows he definitely intends to test out free agency.

Brown's incredible athleticism and decent shooting abilities would probably net him as a starter on a good number of teams, but not on Los Angeles. Any team looking for a solid shooting guard (Chicago, perhaps?) would certainly go after Brown and may offer more than the Lakers could.