Published on July 13, 2015 by Emeka Ikezu  

Who is going to switch teams in the NBA during this free agency period? Will LeBron James leave the Cavs? Will Gasol leave Memphis? Here are a few keys to think about as you watch the NBA free agency drama play out.

1. As proven this year by the Golden State Warriors, bench players can be key on a team. There are a couple free agents that are bench players that could make a big difference for a team. Brandan Wright is a power forward that played an average of 36 minutes and scored an average of 15 points per game last season. Another free agent who is currently with the Dallas Mavericks is Al-Farouq Aminu. He would be a great addition to a team’s defense.

2. Veterans can provide valuable leadership to a team. Paul Pierce and David West would set great examples for younger players on an NBA team.

3. The two players to keep an eye on are DeAndre Jordan and Gasol. DeAndre Jordan is a strong defensive player that can immediately help any team. I also recommend Gasol. He would be a great fit with any team because he is strong on both ends of the court.

Below I ranked all the key NBA players that are in the free agent pool. What do you think -- did I get it right?

Ranking of Free Agents
Player NamePositionAgeYrs in NBATeamEmeka's Ranking
Butler, Jimmy F-G 25 4yrs CHI 16
Dragic, Goran G 29 7yrs MIA 26
Duncan, Tim F 39 18yrs SAS 7
Ellis, Monta G 29 10yrs DAL 14
Gasol, Marc C 30 7yrs MEM 5
Green, Danny F-G 28 6yrs SAS 10
Green, Draymond F 25 3yrs GSW 24
Jackson, Reggie G 25 4yrs DET 9
James, LeBron F 30 12yrs CLE 1
Jordan, DeAndre C 26 7yrs LAC 23
Kanter, Enes F-C 23 4yrs OKC 6
Knight, Brandon G 23 4yrs PHX 22
Leonard, Kawhi G 24 4yrs SAS 13
Lopez, Brook C 27 7yrs BKN 27
Love, Kevin F 26 7yrs CLE 3
Millsap, Paul F 30 9yrs ATL 19
Pierce, Paul G 37 17yrs WAS 4
Shumpert, Iman G 25 4yrs CLE 17
Thompson, Tristan F-C 24 4yrs CLE 11
Wade, Dwyane G 33 12yrs MIA 2
West, David F 34 12yrs IND 21
Wright, Brandan F 27 7yrs PHX 12
Young, Thaddeus F 27 8yrs BKN 20