With a loaded talent pool set to headline this year’s free agent class, a ton of player movement is expected to happen during the 2021 NBA offseason. Especially with a star-studded free agent class that’s bound to make all kinds of moves. Now that there’s a relatively even balance of power in the league, the upcoming free agency period will be an all-out arms race from start to finish.
This in-turn will lead to plenty of surprises that will either alter the balance of power in the NBA or leave several front office’s scratching their heads. With multiple teams looking to reshuffle their rosters and the rumor mill likely to run rampant all summer long, there’s definitely a lot of activity that’s set to take place. Having said all of this, lets take a look at the five best players who will be testing the NBA free agent market in summer 2021.
NBA free agency overview:
1. Kawhi Leonard
Arguably the best two-way player in the game today, Kawhi Leonard will be a highly sought free agent in 2021. As a league champion, two-time Finals MVP, and two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Leonard is considered the most well-rounded player in the league. However, a vast majority of his tenure in LA has consisted of him being sidelined by lingering injuries that have forced him to miss valuable playing time.
Although it is widely expected that Leonard will wind up re-signing with the Clippers on a long-term deal, there is still a good chance that he winds up leaving them to pursue an NBA title elsewhere. Especially with teams like Miami, Dallas, and Golden State showing strong interest in the All-Star forward.
Something else to consider is that Leonard will likely be out for a good portion of the 2021-22 NBA season after recently having undergone surgery to repair a partially torn ACL. Regardless of his current status and injury history, the one thing that’s for certain is that Kawhi Leonard is a two-way beast and bona fide superstar when fully healthy. This is something teams will take into consideration when pursuing Leonard this offseason.
2. Chris Paul
After helping them to end their playoff drought and taking them from lottery team to title contender, Chris Paul’s legendary NBA season with the Phoenix Suns was a true showing of his ability to make everyone around him better. As the ultimate floor general and one of the league’s best leaders, it’s safe to assume that there will be plenty of teams looking to make a play for the point god this offseason.
Paul’s situation is similar to Leonard’s in that he will likely opt out of the final year of his contract to re-sign with the Suns on a long-term deal. That way he would be able to finish out his NBA career in Phoenix. In spite of this, Paul will still have a ton of teams looking to snag him away from the Suns due to his previous successes and his ability to singlehandedly transform a team’s culture with his self-less play, high IQ, and overall feel for the game.
Chris Paul is a first-ballot Hall-Of-Famer and one of the greatest players in NBA history. As top-notch defender and clutch playmaker, Paul could be the missing link to a contending team that’s in dire need of an elite point guard with a winning mentality. If he does in fact opt out of the final year of his contract, the Lakers and Knicks could be a few of the teams that come calling.
3. Kyle Lowry
As an NBA Champion, All-Star guard, and arguably the greatest Raptor of all-time, Kyle Lowry will definitely have his fair share of suitors this summer. With Toronto transitioning into a full-on rebuild, Lowry does not seem to fit the mold of their future plans. Plus with a plethora of NBA teams in dire need of a defensive-minded point guard with a championship pedigree, a change of scenery may be just what Lowry needs this offseason.
After all, he was a name that was constantly being brought up in trade rumors during the 2021 NBA trade deadline, but of course nothing came to fruition. With Lowry being heavily linked to both the Sixers and Heat, it seems more than likely that he’ll be parting ways with the Raptors once he enters free agency.
However, a possible return to Toronto hasn’t been ruled out for Lowry either, especially given his previous successes with the franchise and great relationship with Raptors head coach Nick Nurse. Regardless of what happens, Kyle Lowry will definitely be in talks with a lot of teams this NBA offseason.
4. Mike Conley
Coming off a couple disappointing playoff appearances with the Utah Jazz, Mike Conley may be looking elsewhere to win an NBA title for the first time in his illustrious career. Prior to being on the Jazz, Conley had a long and productive tenure with the Memphis Grizzlies where he formed one of the most feared trios in the league with Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph.
It’s been hard for him to reach that level of production while playing with Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert mainly because he’s been ravaged with injures for the majority of the time he’s been on the Jazz. However, when he’s at full strength he and Mitchell form one of the NBA’s most prolific backcourts, but considering the playoff meltdown that Utah’s endured over the past couple of seasons, Conley may be pining for a change of scenery.
Now a return to the Jazz hasn’t been ruled out for Conley, but there are going to be plenty of teams showing interest in the veteran point guard. Given his strong desire to finish his career by competing for multiple titles, there may be a new contender that Conley has his sights set on in NBA free agency. Having said that, Mike Conley will be a major free agent target this summer with no shortage of suitors.
5. Norman Powell
After a highly productive NBA season where he split time playing for the Toronto Raptors and Portland Trail Blazers, Norman Powell has decided to decline his player option and enter free agency. As an electric scorer and solid perimeter defender, Powell would be a welcome addition any squad, especially with his wide array of skillsets.
With his ability to play shooting guard or small forward, Powell would provide a versatile scoring punch to any team he joins and disrupt the flow of opposing offenses by using his 6-foot-11 wingspan to get lots of steals and deflections. Not to mention Powell also played a huge part in the Raptors winning the 2019 NBA title. With his championship pedigree, stellar work ethic, and limitless athleticism, there will without question be a long list of teams looking to sign Norman Powell this offseason.
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