NBA Free Agents 2011: Where the Top Five Guys Should Sign

In this short preseason, NBA free agency will be a flurry of confusing activity. I'm here to help make the picture a bit clearer by letting you know where five of the top NBA free agents should sign.

A guy like Tyson Chandler, who is fresh off his first championship ring, appears to be able to name his price and go wherever he wants.

Here are the places where he and four other big names should sign.

(Free agents are not ranked in any particular order. This list contains only unrestricted free agents.)

Tyson Chandler

Tyson Chandler is one of the most well-rounded big men in the game. He plays solid defense by protecting the basket. He can also score well enough on the offensive end.

Last season, Chandler averaged 10.1 points and 9.4 rebounds per game as the center for the Dallas Mavericks. His biggest upsides are his efficiency (he shot over 65% from the field last year) and the fact that he just won a championship. Also, Chandler has made it clear that he doesn't believe he'll be in a Mavs jersey this season.

Team: Miami

Why join the Big Three when he could get more money elsewhere?

In Miami, Chandler would provide the defensive presence the Heat have needed and be a solid role player offensively. The addition of Chandler would make the Miami Heat even more of a favorite to win the title.

Jason Richardson

Jason Richardson is the classic shooting guard, coming off a season in which he averaged 15.6 points per game. He's a scorer, pure and simple, and at age 31, his opportunity to win a championship is closer to its end than its beginning.

Team: Chicago

Chicago needs a shooting guard that can play second (or even third) fiddle behind Derrick Rose. Richardson has been a second fiddle for awhile now, behind Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire in Phoenix and behind Dwight Howard in Orlando.

Richardson is the best guy to play the two-guard in Chicago.

J.R. Smith

Another shooting guard, J.R. Smith averaged 12 points per game last season coming off the bench for the Denver Nuggets. That clearly shows how good he is at putting the ball in the hoop.

Assuming he can get out of his contract in China (which may be tough), Smith will be the best shooting guard on the market, but he'll be too expensive for the Bulls. His inconsistency and character may also be issues for some other teams.

Team: Cleveland

Sounds strange, I know, but Smith seems like the type who wants to be "the guy." If that's the case, he'll need to go to a fairly below-average squad.

Cleveland is a team void of stars other than the guy they've just drafted in Kyrie Irving and possibly Tristan Thompson. Smith could provide a big boost to that young of a team, and it would make him a star.

David West

David West is the best scoring power forward on the market. Last season, West averaged 18.9 points per game this season for the New Orleans Hornets. He also averaged 7.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists, although he doesn't offer much defensively.

He is coming off an injury and isn't getting any younger at age 31, but he should still be a sought-after free agent.

Team: Indiana

West should rejoin former teammate Darren Collison with the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers are rumored to want him, and he'd be a nice fit for a team that could use a scoring punch at power forward.

Nene

Even though this list hasn't been ranked thus far, I did save the most prized free agent for last. Nene is the most well-rounded big man available in free agency and possibly in the entire NBA.

He's big at 6'11", is a very good defender and is not a liability on the offensive end. He averaged 14.5 points, 7.6 rebounds and a steal and block per game last season. He also shot over 60% from the field and over 70% from the free-throw line.

So many teams want this guy that it's a tough decision as to where he should go.

Team: Portland

If Portland can pay him enough by using their amnesty clause on Brandon Roy, he should definitely go there. Portland has a very talented team overall, and the pairing of Nene with LaMarcus Aldridge in the frontcourt would make the Trailblazers a serious title contender.