NBA Primetime's Top Five NBA Offseason Additions

By now all of you NBA fans know that basketball is at it's yearly low point. Not much news has circulated around the league aside from Miami Heat's Michael Beasley and his rehab situation.With the offseason's major additions now in the past (or are there more to come?), NBA Primetime presents the Top Five NBA Offseason Additions.1. Richard Jefferson (SF, SA)R-Jeff is blessed to join such a powerful force like the San Antonio Spurs, especially since he is in the midst of his prime.Jefferson's arsenal will undoubtedly be used to full advantage by head-coach Gregg Popovich.His presence on the team makes a tremendous impact to the refreshed and revamped roster that consists of athletes like Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Antonio McDyess, and new-comer DeJuan Blair. R-Jeff will provide the Spurs with extreme versatility, leadership, and veteran experience. At the age of 29, you can bet that the only thing on Jefferson's mind is reaching the top and winning a championship ring.T-2. Shaquille O'Neal (C, CLE) Shaq brings the Cavaliers an established big man that can provide consistent field goals in the low post area.He will cause opponents problems while they are on the offensive end by jamming up the lane and contending their takes to the basket.O'Neal is another star that brings a great amount of leadership and veteran-ship to the table.Number 33 will ultimately help Cleveland contend in the upcoming season against vicious big men in the East such as Dwight Howard (who clearly caused a serious problem for them during last year's postseason).T-2. Vince Carter (SG, ORL)Vince Carter's situation is rather similar to Richard Jefferson's for the main fact that he is joining a team for the first time in his career that can actually compete and contend for a title.Although many fans believe Carter is a slacker and truly does not care about winning games, Magic fans have seemed to have taken complete opposite views on the situation.If your VC, your heading into the upcoming season with literally all the pieces aligned to winning your first NBA championship. With D-Howard, Jameer Nelson, and Rashard Lewis on his side, Carter will inevitably prove to all the VC haters that he still has his "ups", game-winning tactics, and leadership skills, and that he is not just some 32-year-old star that simply settles for the jumper rather than attacking the rim. Since there is no proof if Vince will actually return to his high-flying way, this season will prove if Carter is truly a Hall-of-Famer or just some elite slam-dunker.3. Andre Miller (PG, POR)The Miller signing was a lot more important to the Blazers than the hype was accredited for.Miller brings the Blazers a much needed veteran that has true experience in the playoffs and can teach his teammates what to do in key situations. With a young and upcoming core consisting of Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldrige, and Greg Oden, Miller will quickly fit right into the starting point-guard role and make an immediate influence in the locker room.As quite an underrated point-guard in the league, Miller will also be able to show his true value on this uprising Blazers team.4. Ron Artest (SF, LAL)After winning the NBA Finals last season, the Lakers decided to sign arguably the most underrated superstar in the game today in Ron Artest. But how much better could LA get?They lost Ariza and actually gained in the Artest signing, they were able to persuade Odom to say in LA, and they still have the best player in the game in Kobe Bryant.Regardless of how good LA will be next season, Artest will be able to help immensely on the defensive end of the floor (the Laker's only weakness last year) with his rare abilities to intimidate and defend some of the best players in the NBA today.T-5.  Hedo Turkoglu (SF, TOR)Turkoglu gives the Raptors a versatile forward that can bring up the ball, hit the three, and dish out assists. With Bosh and Bargnani continuing to improve during each and every season, the combination of Turkoglu, Jose Calderon, and Jarret Jack ranks the Raptors certainly as one of the deepest ball handling teams in the league.Hedo will only improve the Raptors horrific 33-49 overall record from last year and can possibly bring the team into playoff contention during the upcoming season. T-5. Shawn Marion (SF, DAL)The addition of Shawn Marion provides Dallas with an athletic forward capable of doing virtually everything on the court. Marion is bound to have a breakout season after declining ever since departing from the Phoenix Suns. With players like Nowitzki, Kidd, Howard, Gooden, and Terry, Marion should be able to make a major impact and help keep the Mavericks remain as one of the top three teams in the Western Conference during next season.