NBA Free Agents 2011: Top Free Agents and Where They're Headed

The NBA's free agency period opens up at 2:00 PM ET on December 9 for the 2011-12 season.

Although a fair amount of players have already agreed to new contracts with different teams prior to the window opening, nothing can be officially recorded and signed until the specified time and date.

There will be a flurry of moves to track as the shortened season leaves less time for players and teams to make decisions, but we'll keep updating the recent moves for fans to keep track of throughout the entire process.

Caron Butler, Los Angeles Clippers

Butler drew interest from a number of clubs before ultimately making his decision to join Blake Griffin and the Los Angeles Clippers.

The veteran small forward signed on for three seasons and $24 million, and the Clippers will be taking a big gamble on him following reconstructive knee surgery.

Tyson Chandler, New York Knicks

Chandler boosted his stock immensely after a championship run with Dallas, and he's turning his successful season into an unbelievable pay day with New York.

The Knicks will use the amnesty clause on PG Chauncey Billups and trade Ronny Turiaf in order to clear cap space and sign Chandler to a four year deal worth approximately $60 million.

Shane Battier, Miami Heat

Although Battier tweeted out his decision to head down to South Beach, it was reported that the defensive stalwart would be signing his next contract with the Heat.

With the arrival of Battier, Miami now boasts outstanding perimeter defense with Battier, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, and there's no doubt that this is a move which makes the Heat even better.

Marquis Daniels, Boston Celtics

Daniels was traded to the Sacramento Kings after a devastating on court injury that ended his season, but he's got no hard feelings and is bound to return to Boston.

The Celtics will bring back the swingman on a one-year deal, and it makes sense considering Daniels has a strong familiarity with the coaching staff, players and system in Boston.

Jonas Jerebko, Detroit Pistons

Jerebko missed the entire 2010-11 season due to a ruptured Achilles tendon, but that didn't prevent the Pistons from seeing his potential to contribute going forward.

He will be back in Detroit for the foreseeable future after agreeing to a four-year contract, and it's a deal that will likely emerge as a serious bargain as long as Jerebko stays healthy.

Tayshaun Prince, Detroit Pistons

The Pistons have Austin Daye waiting in the wings, and despite man predicting that Prince would be moving on to another team, he will remain in Detroit for the next four seasons.

The versatile forward agreed to a new contract with the Pistons, and it will be interesting to see how Lawrence Frank plans to use all of his forwards on a nightly basis.

Shannon Brown, Phoenix Suns

Brown wowed a lot of fans in Los Angeles with his athleticism and highlight-reel dunks, but the Lakers didn't figure to have a chance at retaining him after he opted out of his contract prior to the lockout.

Although he signed just a one-year deal with the Suns, his reported salary of $3.5 million was something that the Lakers would've likely never felt comfortable giving him.

His high flying fastbreak act will be an excellent fit for the Steve Nash-led backcourt.

T.J. Ford, San Antonio Spurs

Ford was wasted with the Pacers on a team that didn't give him a chance to play, and now he'll have a legitimate opportunity to contribute for his new club.

The point guard will sign a one-year deal in San Antonio to serve as Tony Parker's backup, and it's another example of a shrewd signing by GM R.C. Buford.

Sebastian Telfair, Phoenix Suns

Teflair has bounced around the league and has yet to find a home, but it's possible that his next destination will allow him to finally secure stable footing.

The Phoenix Suns agreed to a one-year deal with Telfair, and after losing Aaron Brooks to China for the season, it's a low-risk move that could pay off for both parties.

Tracy McGrady, Atlanta Hawks

It's shocking that there weren't more teams interested in bringing Tracy McGrady aboard considering he signed with Atlanta for just the veteran's minimum.

McGrady can be a versatile asset for the Hawks capable of playing multiple positions, and that's going to be especially important following Kirk Hinrich's shoulder surgery and Marvin Williams' inconsistent play.

Mike Dunleavy, Milwaukee Bucks

Dunleavy got a two-year commitment from Milwaukee, and while the contract is not one that is entirely egregious, it doesn't really make a ton of sense.

The team has Carlos Delfino and Ersan Ilyasova along the front line already, and considering Dunelavy's recent health issues, it will be interesting to see how he is deployed for the Bucks.

Greg Oden, Portland Trail Blazers

Oden was never going to collect anywhere near salary he is getting to return to Portland by accepting his qualifying contract offer, and it's not a surprise to see him return for a single season.

It's amazing to think that a player who had participated in just 82 regular season games will make about $9 million, but that's the enormous upside Oden (when healthy) possesses.

Roger Mason, Washington Wizards

Mason is infamous for his role during the lockout, but he it should be noted that he is a solid veteran to add to a young locker room and can still serve to stretch the floor in the second unit.

He'll return to the Wizards for a season after spending time in New York with the Knicks, and he should be a good mentor for a team that boasts a ton of youth.

Jason Kapono, Los Angeles Lakers

Kapono was seldom used in Philadelphia on a team that had no use for him, but he'll have a very distinct role with his new club in Los Angeles.

The local product agreed to a one-year contract to join the Lakers, and he will help to stretch the floor in the second unit, something the team had serious issues doing during the 2010-11 season.

James Jones, Miami Heat

Jones would have made for a nice sharpshooter off the bench for a contender looking to upgrade in the second unit, but Jones couldn't leave the allure of Miami behind.

The veteran took a three-year deal to remain with the Heat, and the club that lost in the Finals last season suddenly looks a lot deeper than this group ever was previously.

Grant Hill, Phoenix Suns

Many fans would love to see Hill finally get a chance to join a championship contender, and while he flirted with the notion of going elsewhere, the 39-year old couldn't leave the Suns behind.

He'll sign a ridiculously lucrative contract for a single season, and while it's possible this might not be his last season, retirement remains a definite possibility following the campaign.

Marcus Thornton, Sacramento Kings

Thornton was a restricted free agent, so even if another club had signed him to an offer sheet, the Kings were always going to have an opportunity to match.

However, it didn't even get to that phase, and Thornton agreed to a four-year $33 million contract with Sacramento and will continue to serve as a volume scorer for the club.

Glen Davis, Orlando Magic

Davis was never anywhere near a slam dunk to return to the Celtics, so the fact that the team was able to flip him to Orlando in a sign-and-trade deal to net Brandon Bass in return is nothing short of remarkable.

Big Baby's new pay day with the Magic comes with an awful lot of commitment as the team is prepared to hand him $26 million over the next four seasons to play a sizable role, something he hasn't done consistently over the course of his career.

Daequan Cook, Oklahoma City Thunder

Cook was a restricted free agent, and as a sharpshooter who can space the floor in the second unit, he is a valuable asset to the Thunder reserve group on the wing.

Oklahoma City closed on a two-year contract worth $7.5 million with Cook to keep him on the roster, and it's another example of GM Sam Presti continuing to build one of the deepest teams in the NBA.

J.J. Barea, Minnesota Timberwolves

Barea was inevitably going to get overpaid by some team willing to gamble on his postseason play coming off of a championship run with Dallas, and we all should've expected it to be David Kahn.

The pint-sized guard is putting the finishing touches on a four-year, $19 million deal with the Timberwolves that will give Minnesota yet another guard and create a serious size problem if he and Ricky Rubio are on the court at the same time.

David West, Indiana Pacers

West seemed destined to head to Boston before a sign-and-trade deal fell through, but it didn't take long for him to find a new home.

The veteran power forward inked a two-year, $20 million contract with the Pacers, and it's a win-win situation for both parties as neither is locked into a long-term commitment.

Kurt Thomas, Portland Trail Blazers

Thomas is the league's oldest player at 39 years young, but that didn't prevent him from securing a two-year deal following a successful season in Chicago.

Although Thomas was thought to be mulling a return to the Bulls, the Blazers swooped in with a two-year offer and the prospect of serious playing time after it was revealed Greg Oden had a setback in his road to return to the court.

Mike Bibby, New York Knicks

Bibby looked like his career was coming to a close after finishing last season in Miami with the Heat, but New York needed a point guard and the team doesn't have much cap flexibility at its disposal.

The veteran agreed to a one-year deal with the Knicks to serve as help at the position with Chauncey Billups no longer on the roster, but he's a rather uninspiring option if he has to spend time as the starter.

Jason Richardson, Orlando Magic

Richardson had been pegged for a different team since the free agency period opened up, so it was a bit surprising to see him return to an Orlando team that won't have Dwight Howard for the future.

The shooting guard agreed to stay with the Magic for four years and $25 million, and he'll remain the team's starter at the position for the foreseeable future.

Jeff Green, Boston Celtics

Green didn't transition well upon his initial arrival into Boston last season, but that didn't prevent the team from penciling him into the plans for the plans this year.

He signed a one-year, $9 million deal to remain with the Celtics, and although that's a gross overpay, Boston was able to preserve cap flexibility for the 2012 offseason and retain Green for one final championship run with the current core.

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute

Mbah a Moute is a much better perimeter defender than most seem to give him credit for, and the Nuggets likely knew that when the team signed him to a four-year, $19 million offer sheet.

However, Milwaukee wasted almost no time in matching the contract, meaning that he'll return to the Bucks for the next four seasons.

Spencer Hawes, Philadelphia 76ers

Hawes didn't seem to generate a ton of interest on the open market as a restricted free agent, and he decided to hit the market once again next season as an unrestricted free agent.

In order to do that, Hawes signed his qualifying contract offer with the Sixers, and he'll return to Philadelphia for at least one more year.

Aaron Gray, Toronto Raptors

Gray's name was kicked around as a cheap option for clubs without a lot of cap space and a need for help beneath the basket, but that's not the route he chose to go.

Gray signed a one-year deal with the Toronto Raptors, and the club is probably just looking for an efficient way to address the need for another big man before Jonas Valanciunas arrives in 2012-13.

Eddy Curry, Miami Heat

The speculation surrounding Curry potentially joining Miami's roster has been there for a couple of seasons, and now his arrival is official.

The Heat inked the veteran big man to a one-year contract, and it will be very interesting to see what he brings to the table after reportedly losing 70 lbs from his frame.

Vince Carter, Dallas Mavericks

Carter may be nearing the end of his career, but that doesn't mean that he can't contribute to the right team when placed in the proper situation.

The veteran signed a one-year deal to join the defending champion Dallas Mavericks for the 2011-12 season, and he will now join the same back court as Jason Kidd to create a timeless pairing.

DeAndre Jordan, Los Angeles Clippers

Jordan was a restricted free agent destined to receive a major pay increase from his previous contract, and the Clippers had no choice but to match the offer sheet he signed with Golden State.

After the Warriors signed him to a four-year deal worth approximately $43 million, Los Angeles waited almost no time at all to match it.

It shouldn't be surprising given that the team was never going to let him walk out the door.

Delonte West, Dallas Mavericks

West enjoyed an up-and-down season with the Celtics, but he has value as a guard who is capable of backing up either guard position for a team.

The Mavericks kept stacking depth at the end of the bench when it was announced he had a deal with Dallas for a single season, and he should prove to be a nice low-risk addition.

Kwame Brown, Golden State Warriors

Size matters in the NBA, and there may be no better evidence to illustrate that point than the one-year contract Brown just signed with Golden State.

The Warriors gave the well-traveled big man a whopping $7 million for just a single season, and the team now has $16 million in salary invested in Brown and incumbent Andris Biedrins for the 2011-12 campaign.

Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies

Gasol was never a candidate to realistically leave the Grizzlies considering the team wanted to re-sign him and he was a restricted free agent.

The center took to his Twitter account to share the news that he had agreed to a new four-year contract which would keep him in Memphis, and this is a team that's going to a lot of fun to watch in the coming seasons.

Josh McRoberts, Los Angeles Lakers

McRoberts may not be the big man addition that Lakers fans were hoping for, but he does provide both youth and depth to a team that didn't have much of either.

He'll join Los Angeles on a two-year contract worth the full mini midlevel exception, and he will serve as very valuable insurance behind Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol.

Nene, Denver Nuggets

Nene was rumored to be heading to a number of different destinations, but in the end, he decided that remaining in familiar surroundings was the best fit for him.

The big man is returning to Denver on a five-year contract worth $67 million, and it sounds like the team's decision to offer him a fifth season pushed the negotiations to an end point.

Gary Forbes, Toronto Raptors

Forbes emerged as a legitimate contributor off the bench with Denver last season, and he parlayed that into a multi-year pact with the Toronto Raptors.

The swingman singed a two-year deal (with a team option for the third year) in Canada, and he represents a nice low-cost addition for the club to build depth.

Marco Belinelli, New Orleans Hornets

Belinelli didn't find the market for shooting guards developing as he may have hoped, so he's decided to return to his previous stomping grounds.

The sharpshooter accepted his one-year qualifying offer from the Hornets and will now enter the 2012 offseason as an unrestricted free agent when more teams have cap space to spare.

Richard Hamilton, Chicago Bulls

Hamilton was known to want out of Detroit following a tumultuous season there in 2010-11, and he got his wish when the team bought him out of his contract.

It didn't take long for the veteran to make his decision, and he signed a two-year, $10 million deal to join Derrick Rose and form a formidable tandem in the Chicago starting five.

Earl Clark, Orlando Magic

Clark finally got an opportunity to contribute with the Magic last season after not getting a chance in Phoenix, and he left enough of an impression with the team to warrant his return to the roster.

The swing forward has agreed to re-sign with Orlando for two years, and it'll be interesting to see how his playing time shakes out given the current compilation of the big men on the roster.

Shawne Williams, New Jersey Nets

Williams showed why he was a previous first round draft pick back in 2006 with the Knicks last season, and he was able to parlay that success into a bigger opportunity for this season.

He bolted New York and is headed to New Jersey, where he'll have a definite chance at sustainable playing time and has agreed to a two-year contract.

Carl Landry, New Orleans Hornets

Landry had several teams interested in his services, but in the end, he decided to take a short-term deal to remain where he finished last season.

The undersized forward has agreed to a one-year contract worth nearly $9 million to help anchor the New Orleans front line, and it's a move that should benefit both sides rather favorably.

Reggie Williams, Charlotte Bobcats

Williams went to a team that sorely needed offense, and it's a good fit considering what he does best is score when deployed for action.

The swingman agreed to a two-year contract to join Charlotte, and he should anchor the scoring in the second unit given that the team doesn't have any attractive alternatives in that role.

Jamal Crawford, Portland Trail Blazers

Crawford was heavily expected to be strongly considering Portland on his final list of teams, and he finally made it official when he announced the decision on his Twitter page.

He's getting $5 million for the first season of his contract, and there will be a player option for the same value should he seek to return at that price the following year.

Craig Smith, Portland Trail Blazers

Better known as "the Rhino" by some around the league, Smith has flown underneath the radar during his time with the Clippers as a reliable backup big man capable of providing energy off the bench.

Now, he'll fill the same role with Portland, as he has agreed to a new contract with the Trail Blazers, and is a candidate to get solid burn behind veterans Marcus Camby and Kurt Thomas.

Maurice Evans, Washington Wizards

Evans would've been a nice fit on a a number of contending teams looking for veteran leadership on the bench, but he decided to remain in the same spot for at least another season.

The swingman will return to Washington on a one-year contract with the Wizards, and he'll serve as a mentor for a team that has an abundance of youth on the roster.

Josh Howard, Utah Jazz

Howard drew interest from a number of teams looking for support on the wing, but an opportunity for legitimate playing time almost certainly played a role in his decision.

He's headed to Utah on a one-year deal with the Jazz, and he'll be looking to return to previous form while shedding the injury-plagued label he has garnered in recent seasons.

Troy Murphy, Los Angeles Lakers

Murphy was a disappointing addition for Boston last season when the Celtics added him following a buyout from New Jersey, but he'll be looking to rebound on the west coast this year.

The veteran power forward reached a one-year agreement with the Lakers, and he'll help to stretch the floor in the second unit along with fellow newcomer Jason Kapono.

Rodney Stuckey, Detroit Pistons

Stuckey and the Pistons were seemingly headed for some muddy waters after the two parties were at a standstill in contract negotiations, but that didn't last very long.

With the season right around the corner, the two parties were able to come to a middle ground that will keep Stuckey in Detroit for another three years at the price of $25 million.

Baron Davis, New York Knicks

Davis was waived using the amnesty clause by Cleveland, but it didn't take him very long to find a much more attractive home for himself at this stage of his career.

He signed a one-year deal for the veteran's minimum to join the New York Knicks, and despite reports that his bad back will take some time to heal, this is a great example of a low-risk signing that could really have huge benefits in the long run.

Nick Young, Washington Wizards

Young didn't really come out of his shell until last season, when he decided to absolutely explode and emerge as a legitimate scoring threat for the Wizards.

He was expecting to secure a multi-year deal at a high annual average value, but he couldn't find one to his liking, and will now play out the season on his one-year qualifying contract offer.

Young will be an unrestricted free agent in 2012.

Kris Humphries, New Jersey Nets

It may have taken slightly longer than Humphries expected, but his breakout season with the Nets last season earned him a very solid pay raise for the coming year.

He'll return to New Jersey on a one-year deal, and at $8 million, Humphries will have to prove that his coming out party last year was not just a fluke.

Arron Afflalo, Denver Nuggets

Afflalo was one of the best free agent options available for teams looking to upgrade at shooting guard, but his restricted status may have kept a number of franchises from investigating the possibility too closely.

It was heavily expected that he'd return to Denver, and Afflalo did just that when he signed a five-year, $43 million contract with the team to remain a member of the Nuggets for the long haul.

Reggie Evans, Los Angeles Clippers

Evans is a force on the glass who will bring energy to the second unit, and he landed in a really nice spot when he decided to join the Clippers.

He has agreed to sign a one-year deal worth the veteran's minimum to serve as depth behind Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, and he should fit onto the roster rather nicely for Los Angeles.

DeShawn Stevenson, New Jersey Nets

Stevenson took a while to find a new contract despite coming off of a championship season with Dallas, but he finally found a deal to his liking with just days until the season starts.

The defensively-oriented swingman signed a one-year, $2.5 million deal to become a member of the New Jersey Nets, and he'll help with some support on the wing behind Shawne Williams and Damion James.

Samuel Dalembert, Houston Rockets

Dalembert looked like he was headed back to Sacramento after the Kings voided the contract of Chuck Hayes, but Houston stepped up its efforts to reel in the big man.

The Rockets would've been ridiculously foolish to begin the season with a combination of Jordan Hill and Hasheem Thabeet in the middle, so the team stepped up and signed Dalembert to a two-year deal.