Okay so last night I was trying to remember exactly what happened during that wild NBA summer back in 2012. Free agency felt like total chaos back then, with big names flying everywhere. Figured I’d dig into it properly, see where the big fish actually ended up swimming. Here’s how it actually went down for me.
Getting Started (and Hitting Walls)
First thing, I just typed “2012 nba free agency biggest names” straight into Google. Easy, right? Wrong. Instantly got hit with articles talking about THIS year’s free agency mess, or maybe 2022 stuff. So annoying. Had to be way more specific and shove “2012” right at the start.
Then, I found a few lists claiming “Top Free Agents 2012”. Sweet. Opened like three tabs. But then I saw names like… Brandon Roy? Grant Hill? Roy was talking a comeback after retiring, Hill was still playing yeah, but they weren’t THE main event that summer. Knew that much. The lists felt messy.
Pinpointing the REAL Headliners
Time to focus. I remembered the crazy noise around Deron Williams and Steve Nash for sure. Dwight Howard? Hold on… Wasn’t he part of that massive trade circus later? Yeah, he was traded during the season to the Lakers, not straight up a free agent signing that July. My bad. Kept seeing his name mixed in and had to mentally filter it out as “Trade Drama, Not FA Signing.”
- Deron Williams was absolutely everywhere in those old reports. Nets? Mavericks? Who won?
- Steve Nash felt like he might leave Phoenix after all those years.
- Ray Allen – Boston legend, but maybe looking elsewhere?
- Jason Kidd – Old but crafty.
Started searching individually: “Where did Deron Williams sign 2012”, same for the others.
The News Flood (and Broken Links)
Bam! The articles poured in. Felt like digging through digital rubble though. Tons of links straight up dead – websites gone or articles vanished. Found ESPN pieces thankfully still hanging around.
What jumped out:
- Deron Williams: MAJOR story. Everyone thought he was Dallas-bound to play with Dirk. Articles were screaming “Decision Day!” for him. Then… BOOM. He stayed put! Re-signed with the Nets (who were still in New Jersey, pre-Brooklyn move madness). Totally forgot that twist. Mavs fans must’ve been crushed.
- Steve Nash: This one got weird. Remembered it was unexpected. Phoenix didn’t want to trade him within the West? Lakers swooped in for a sign-and-trade! Nash goes to L.A. for draft picks. Wild.
- Ray Allen: Heartbreaker for Boston. Left the Celtics for… the enemy! Signed with the Miami Heat superteam after the finals loss. Articles called it the “Biggest betrayal?” Oof.
- Jason Kidd: Went from Dallas… to the Knicks? Signed with New York after playing against them in the playoffs? Short deal, trying for one last run. Forgot he went there.
Tried looking for where “everyone” landed quickly. Found some old recap articles listing “Key Moves of 2012 FA”. Gotcha! That’s what I needed. Confirmed the big four: Williams (Nets), Nash (Lakers), Allen (Heat), Kidd (Knicks).
The Aftermath & What Didn’t Stick
Looking back, it’s crazy how some moves turned out. Nash to the Lakers? Seemed like a masterstroke then. Injuries just wrecked that story. Williams staying with the Nets? That contract became… yikes. Ray Allen hitting THAT shot in the finals? Made leaving Boston worth it instantly for the ring. Kidd with the Knicks? They got 54 wins the next year, not too shabby before things went south again.
Annoying thing I couldn’t pin down easily: The exact money numbers they signed for right there and then. Those details were harder to find consistently without hitting dead ends or paywalls. Just got the basic “re-signed big max deal” or “signed for X million.” Frustrating.
So yeah, that was the chase. Basically, the internet remembers the biggest headlines if you dig past the junk and the broken links. Feels good to piece it back together. Seems so long ago now!
