NBA Free Agents 2011: 5 Signings That Will Have Biggest Impact on Playoffs
The 2011 NBA free agent period is almost over, as most big names available have either switched uniforms or re-signed with their old teams.
The abbreviated offseason featured several moves that will have major postseason implications. In no particular order, here are the five signings that will have the biggest effects come playoff time.
Jamal Crawford to the Portland Trail Blazers
Crawford, originator of the dopest move on the planet, is the perfect replacement for Brandon Roy in Portland.
He can create his own shot, score 20-plus points on any given night and doesn't mind backing up Wes Matthews.
Crawford's role in Portland will be very similar to the one he played in Atlanta. He'll provide some instant offense off the bench and get plenty of minutes in crunch time.
Last season, the Blazers won 48 games and claimed the sixth seed in the Western Conference. This year, they will have a great opportunity to host a first-round playoff series.
An eight-man rotation of Crawford, Matthews, LaMarcus Aldridge, Gerald Wallace, Raymond Felton, Nicolas Batum, Marcus Camby and Kurt Thomas is as good as any in the West.
Marc Gasol re-signs with the Memphis Grizzlies
The tandem of Zach Randolph and Gasol made Memphis one of the scariest eighth seeds in NBA history last year.
It hurts spending $58 million dollars on a player who only averaged 11.7 points and seven rebounds last season, but Gasol was vital to the Grizzlies success.
With Gasol re-signed and Rudy Gay returning from injury, the Grizzlies will once again be a matchup nightmare in the playoffs.
Nene re-signs with the Denver Nuggets
It was imperative that the Nuggets re-sign Nene, especially given that half their roster is stuck in China.
Denver overachieved last season after dealing Carmelo Anthony, finishing with 50 wins and the fifth seed in the Western Conference.
I like the addition of Rudy Fernandez, and rookie Kenneth Faried is going to be a beast. As long as the Nuggets re-sign Arron Afflalo, they will once again be one of the top five teams out west.
Richard Hamilton to the Chicago Bulls
I absolutely love the Hamilton signing by Chicago.
He's the perfect two-guard to pair with Derrick Rose. He moves beautifully off the ball, using screens to perfection and finding cracks in the defense.
He's got an automatic mid-range jumper and will provide Chicago with the scoring punch they so desperately need.
I don't know if this move will get them past the Miami Heat, but it greatly improves their chances.
With the NBA's best defense, Derrick Rose and now, a shooting guard that can score, a Bulls championship should surprise no one.
Tyson Chandler to the New York Knicks
With one big acquisition, the Knicks immediately became legitimate title contenders.
They still need to make a couple more moves, as they lack depth and their point guard situation is less than ideal.
But the Knicks now have the NBA's best frontcourt with Chandler, Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony.
New York was going to score plenty of points this season, regardless of what offseason moves they made. Now with Chandler on board, they'll actually be able to stop people too.
Chandler should be able to do for them what he did for Dallas last season: protect the rim, snatch rebounds and lead them on a deep playoff run.
