NBA Free Agents 2011: Top 25 Unrestricted Free Agents

Now that the NBA lockout is tentatively over and the free agency period is expected to begin on Dec. 9, we can finally take a look at the players who will be available then. 

This isn't a stacked class like last year when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Dirk Nowitzki, Carlos Boozer and many other big-name players were on the market. It's not going to be filled with stars like next year when Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, Deron Williams and others will be available. 

In fact, it's a pretty sub-par class. But when you're dealt a hand, you might as well try to play it. And quite frankly, now that the NBA is back, I'm absolutely thrilled that even No. 25 on this list is available. 

Read on for the top 25 unrestricted free agents of the 2011 class. 

25. Kwame Brown

Position: Center

Last Played WIth: Charlotte Bobcats

2010-2011 Stats: 7.9 points, 0.7 assists, 6.8 rebounds

Didn't I say this free-agent class is not very good?

Yeah...

24. Chuck Hayes

Position: Center

Last Played With: Houston Rockets

2010-2011 Stats: 7.9 points, 2.7 assists, 8.1 rebounds

The 28-year-old center has spent all six years of his post-Kentucky basketball career with the Houston Rockets, but now he’s finally in position to join a new, and potentially more successful, team.

Even though he stands at 6’6”, Chuck Hayes is best described as a center thanks to his combination of positioning skills and pound-for-pound strength.

Hayes will never be mistaken as a great player, but he is undoubtedly a solid one. Just don’t ask him to shoot free throws and if he does end up at the charity stripe, close your eyes. 

23. Michael Redd

Position: Shooting guard

Last Played With: Milwaukee Bucks

2010-2011 Stats: 4.4 points, 1.2 assists, 0.8 rebounds

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that this is the Michael Redd of the early 2000s. He may still be able to provide a scoring spark of the bench, but the 32-year-old guard is in the twilight of his career.

Redd tore his ACL in January of the 2008-2009 season and was forced to sit out until the beginning of the ensuing campaign for the Milwaukee Bucks.

The following January, Redd tore the same ACL, this time ripping up his MCL as well. He wouldn’t return until March 2011 and has played just 10 games since his return. 

22. Josh McRoberts

Position: Power forward

Last Played With: Indiana Pacers

2010-2011 Stats: 7.4 points, 2.1 assists, 5.3 rebounds

The 24-year-old big man is coming off the most productive season of his career. In his fourth year out of Duke, Josh McRoberts averaged career highs in all five major statistical categories. Unfortunately though, he still only put up 7.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.8 blocks per game.

Because of his youth, McRoberts will still be picked up in free agency by some team who expects for him to have room for more improvement. But that said, his ceiling not very high. In fact, at 6’10” he may have duck to avoid hitting his head on it. 

21. Josh Howard

Position: Small forward

Last Played With: Washington Wizards

2010-2011 Stats: 8.4 points, 1.3 assists, 4.1 rebounds

There must be something about the name Josh that makes me drop everyone with that first name towards the bottom of these rankings. Then again, the players with that first name might just not be very good anymore.

Back in 2007, Josh Howard was an All-Star for the Dallas Mavericks. Since then, he has been traded to the Washington Wizards and torn his ACL. It’s going to be awfully difficult for the 31-year-old to return to his pre-trade, pre-injury level of play. 

20. Marquis Daniels

Position: Shooting guard

Last Played With: Sacramento Kings (but really Boston Celtics)

2010-2011 Stats: 5.5 points, 1.3 assists, 2.3 rebounds per game

As Marquis Daniels proved in 2008-2009 when the Indiana Pacers actually used him as a starter, he can be productive when given enough minutes to succeed. That season, the former Auburn Tiger averaged 13.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.

Although I’m sure you’re interested in learning what makes Daniels a decent basketball player, I’d like to use this space to talk about his tattoos, since you’d be hard-pressed to find a stranger culmination of ink than the one on his body.

His entire back is covered with a detailed map of Florida, presumably because he’s from Orlando but possibly because his teams got lost on road trips to play against the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat.

In addition to that one, Daniels has a Bible verse written out across his chest, an image of a man shooting himself with a shotgun on his right arm and Chinese characters that literally translate to “healthy woman roof” on the other arm. 

19. T.J. Ford

Position: Point guard

Last Played With: Indiana Pacers

2010-2011 Stats: 5.4 points, 3.4 assists, 2.0 rebounds

Ever since he was injured in 2008 while playing for the Toronto Raptors, T.J. Ford has had a remarkably difficult time working his way back into a starting role. Now at 28 years of age, the point guard has served his time with the Indiana Pacers and is ready to test the free agency market.

After starting just three games for the Pacers last season, Ford signed with Croatia’s KK Zagreb during the lockout. He’ll gladly come back across the pond for one more shot at running an NBA offense. 

18. Jeff Foster

Position: Center

Last Played With: Indiana Pacers

2010-2011 Stats: 3.3 points, 0.8 assists, 6.3 rebounds per game

Even though he’s now 34 years old, Jeff Foster is fully capable of lining up at either power forward or center and pulling down a handful of rebounds each game. At this point in his career, though, that’s about all he’s good for.

Even when he was starting games earlier in his career, Foster never averaged double-digit points over the course of a season. 

17. DeShawn Stevenson

Position: Shooting guard

Last Played With: Dallas Mavericks

2010-2011 Stats: 5.3 points, 1.1 assists, 1.5 rebounds

If your team is in desperate need of swagger, this is the guy on the free agent market to guy. He’s one of the players in the NBA who best embodies the Bill Simmons concept of irrational confidence. Plus, who doesn’t want the guy with the Abraham Lincoln neck tattoo?

Even though he’s best known for his feud with LeBron James and for the aforementioned tattoo, DeShawn Stevenson is a fairly valuable player thanks to his suffocating defense, top-notch athleticism and timely three-point shooting. 

16. Earl Clark

Position: Power forward

Last Played With: Orlando Magic

2010-2011 Stats: 3.9 points, 0.2 assists, 2.4 rebounds per game

After signing a one-year deal with the Zhejiang Lions in August, Earl Clark was allowed to leave the Chinese league for family reasons and is now an unrestricted free agent.

Even though the former Louisville standout has averaged just 3.3 points and 1.8 rebounds per game during his two seasons in the NBA, he was too talented in college for me to just give up on him already.

He’s almost 24 years old and some team is bound to give him another shot to succeed. 

15. J.J. Barea

Position: Point guard

Last Team: Dallas Mavericks

2010-2011 Stats: 9.5 points, 3.9 assists, 2.0 rebounds per game

If there’s one player in this free-agent class who might actually be disappointed that the lockout is over, it’s J.J. Barea.

The diminutive point guard has to leave the royal treatment he’s receiving Puerto Rico behind and travel back to the States to join a new team after winning a championship with the Dallas Mavericks. He also has to leave behind his model wife.

If you watched any of the NBA Playoffs last year, you know exactly what Barea’s game is all about. He uses his quickness and size to work his way into the lane and make awkward runners and floaters. He’s fun to watch and incredibly frustrating to guard. 

14. Grant Hill

Position: Small forward

Last Played With: Phoenix Suns

2010-2011 Stats: 13.2 points, 2.5 assists, 4.2 rebounds

At one point in his career, Grant Hill might have topped a list like this. But not in 2011.

Hill is 39 years old and while he’s still capable of providing value across the board, he will likely end up as a veteran presence on a contender.

Then again, he did average 13.2 points per game for the Phoenix Suns last season.

13. Samuel Dalembert

Position: Center

Last Played With: Sacramento Kings

2010-2011 Stats: 8.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.5 blocks per game

Not many people have had more consistent careers than Samuel Dalembert.

He’s averaging 8.1 points and 8.3 rebounds per game throughout his career, and since he became a starter back in 2003 with the Philadelphia 76ers, he has been right around those numbers every season.

After spending one season with the Sacramento Kings, Dalembert enters the open market in full possession of the shot-blocking skills that have boosted his career ever since he entered the league.

12. Tayshaun Prince

Position: Small forward

Last Played With: Detroit Pistons

2010-2011 Stats: 14.1 points, 2.8 assists, 4.2 rebounds per game

It’s going to be quite strange to see Tayshaun Prince put on a jersey that doesn’t say “Pistons” across the front, but that’s what we’re faced with now that Prince is an unrestricted free agent.

The lanky forward has spent his entire career with the Detroit Pistons ever since he was drafted out of Kentucky back in 2002. Now, he’ll likely take his diverse skill-set to a contender. 

11. Glen Davis

Position: Power forward

Last Played With: Boston Celtics

2010-2011 Stats: 11.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 0.4 blocks per game

It’s time to see if Glen Davis can succeed on a team on which he doesn’t feel perfectly comfortable, as he did on the Boston Celtics except for the times when Kevin Garnett yelled at him and made him cry.

Even though the baby face doesn’t make it seem possible, Davis is now 25 years old and entering his fifth season out of LSU. Coming off the best year of his career, he’s going to be a tantalizing addition to the frontcourt of some team out there. 

10. Andrei Kirilenko

Position: Small forward

Last Played With: Utah Jazz

2010-2011 Stats: 11.7 points, 3.0 assists, 5.1 rebounds per game

In addition to one of the greatest nicknames in sports (AK47), Andrei Kirilenko lays claim to one of the most well-rounded games in the NBA. A terrific hard-nosed defender, Kirlienko is one of the players who best embodies the “good at everything, great at nothing” phrase.

Now if only I could wrap my head around him not being in a Utah Jazz uniform anymore…

9. Kris Humphries

Position: Power forward

Last Played With: New Jersey Nets

2010-2011 Stats: 10.0 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.1 blocks per game

I am so sick of hearing Kris Humphries’ name in the news because of Kim Kardashian that I am choosing to abstain from writing anything more about him here.

You can tell what I think of him based solely on the rank. 

8. Jamal Crawford

Position: Guard

Last Played With: Atlanta Hawks

2010-2011 Stats: 14.2 points, 3.2 assists, 1.7 rebounds per game

As an Atlanta Hawks fan, I have very mixed feelings about the offensive enigma known as Jamal Crawford.

On one hand, I love the ability that he has to come in off the bench and take over a game offensively. I love the shake ’n’ bake. I love the undeniable swagger and passion he plays the game with.

On the other hand, I hate that he kills the offensive flow and requires the offense to run through him, effectively killing any hope of running a traditional half-court set.

Honestly, I’m hoping that he winds up on a different team just so I don’t yell at my TV quite as often this season. 

7. Shane Battier

Position: Small forward

Last Played With: Memphis Grizzlies

2010-2011 Stats: 7.6 points, 2.3 assists, 4.5 rebounds per game

One of the greatest defensive players in the history of the NBA, Shane Battier will keep playing with his trademark intensity no matter what team he’s on, despite the fact that he’ll be 33 years old when the season begins on Christmas Day.

Battier is one of the most cerebral players in the game and will provide a tremendous veteran presence in the locker room wherever he winds up.

He’s also one of the players you need to follow on twitter thanks to his willingness to answer questions from fans, insightful comments and great sense of humor. You can find him here: @ShaneBattier.

6. Carl Landry

Position: Power forward

Last Played With: New Orleans Hornets

2010-2011 Stats: 11.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 0.4 blocks per game

The former Purdue Boilermaker can do it all. Last season, he averaged 11.9 points and 4.8 rebounds per game with the Sacramento Kings and 11.8 and 4.1 with the New Orleans Hornets.

With his good defensive instincts, 6’9” 248-pound frame and powerful dunking abilities, Landry will make an impact wherever he lands. Plus, he can always take out the opposing star with his teeth. Just ask Dirk Nowitzki.  

5. Caron Butler

Position: Small forward

Last Played With: Dallas Mavericks

2010-2011 Stats: 15.0 points, 1.6 assists, 4.1 rebounds per game

Back in July, I wrote the following about Caron Butler:

"

“For the majority of his career, Caron Butler has been able to avoid the pesky injury imp, but lately, he’s been plagued by that devil.

Butler’s first major injury came back in 2007 when he broke his hand while attempting to block an opponent’s shot. After he recovered, a hip injury the following season caused him to miss both the All-Star game he was selected to and 20 of his Washington Wizards’ last 35 games.

The small forward who was once nicknamed “Tough Juice” by Eddie Jordan because of his tough and aggressive style of play managed to stay fairly healthy for each of the next two seasons, but this last year was a different story.

On Jan. 4 this year, a knee injury officially sidelined Butler for the rest of the season. As a result, Butler had to watch from the sidelines as his teammates completed a title run that was dedicated to him.

At 31 years old now, Butler’s best years are already behind me. This knee injury will be difficult to fully recover from, and he will never be the same player again that he was in the nation’s capitol.”

"

I included that lengthy quote for a few reasons. The first of which is to demonstrate just how weak this free agent class is since we’ve got a 31-year-old recovering from a knee injury at No. 5. Secondly, Butler may never regain his old form. But even still, he’s going to be a productive player. 

4. Jason Richardson

Position: Shooting guard

Last Played With: Orlando Magic

2010-2011 Stats: 15.6 points, 1.8 assists, 4.1 rebounds per game

Now that he’s 31 years old (he’ll turn 32 less than a month into the season), Jason Richardson no longer possesses the elite athleticism that helped make him a dominant scorer during the early years of his NBA career.

I’m in no way denying that J-Rich can still fly with the best of them, but he’s going to start relying more and more on his jump-shooting abilities to score at an impressive clip.

After averaging a career-low 13.9 points per game last season, I’d expect for the shooting guard to score at about the same rate for a team in desperate need of a scoring punch. 

3. Nene Hilario

Position: Center

Last Played With: Denver Nuggets

2010-2011 Stats: 14.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.0 blocks per game

Now we enter the true top tier of players in this year’s free-agent class.

After opting out of the last year of his deal with the Denver Nuggets, it seems increasingly likely that Nene Hilario will spend the 2011-2012 season in a jersey other than a Denver Nuggets one for the first time in his career.

Nene is one of the more underrated players in the entire NBA. He’s a double-double threat every night while playing defense at a high level. With more marketable centers available, Nene will likely end up being a bit of a steal for whoever lands him in free agency. 

2. Tyson Chandler

Position: Center 

Last Played With: Dallas Mavericks

2010-2011 Stats: 10.1 points, 9.4 rebounds, 1.1 blocks per game

Tyson Chandler is going to be cashing in off his incredible performance during the 2011 NBA Finals against the Miami Heat.

Don’t make the mistake of assuming that Chandler is more than he is, though. The 29-year-old center is never going to be a huge contributor on the offensive end of the court, but he can get by with short-range post moves and thunderous dunks. It’s a different story on defense.

Chandler has to be considered one of the absolute best defensive big men in the NBA at this point in his career. He’s truly capable of shutting down the paint for the opposition. 

1. David West

Position: Power forward

Last Played With: New Orleans Hornets

2010-2011 Stats: 18.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, 0.9 blocks per game

When it comes to David West, there are two predominant schools of thought.

Some people think the two-time All-Star is overrated and his numbers are largely due to the dominance of Chris Paul feeding him the rock in the perfect spots.

Others think the fundamental power forward is simply a talented player, capable of spotting up mid-range jumpers or dazzling the opposition with post moves.

You can probably tell that I think the latter.

West’s numbers are a bit inflated because of CP3’s brilliance. I can’t deny that. But he’s still far and away the most talented all-around player in this year’s class.