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As the 2021 NBA Finals wind to a close, the 28 other teams are busy with their off-season goals to prepare for the next NBA season.
Point guards have been some of the most sought-after players in recent years, and several teams are aiming to upgrade their rosters in that position this summer. A year ago, the 2021 NBA free agency class looked loaded. But since then, several players have signed extensions with their teams, taking themselves off the market in the process.
Which NBA point guards will likely play for new teams next season?
This off-season, the LA Lakers have been linked with several point guards like Spencer Dinwiddie and Kyle Lowry, among others. Big names like Damian Lillard, Mike Conley, Goran Dragic, Lonzo Ball, Cameron Payne, Collin Sexton and several other point guards are also in the market to look out for.
Almost every team needs a primary ball-handler and facilitator, so teams will jump at the opportunity to get a good point guard this off-season. On that note, here's a look at five point guards likely to move in the 2021 off-season.
#1 Spencer Dinwiddie
Spencer Dinwiddie has proclaimed himself to be the best free-agent point guard this off=season. He tore his ACL after playing just three games for the Brooklyn Nets in the 2020-21 NBA season and was sidelined for the entire year.
He never saw any playing time with the new superteam of James Harden, Kyrie Irving, Blake Griffin and Kevin Durant. Dinwiddie is now considering moving to a new team because he is unlikely to get any playing time with the Nets, and the team also cannot afford to make any big deals.
Dinwiddie opted out of his player option, which fuelled rumors that he would move to another team and demand a 5-year $196-million deal. He has, however, alluded to the possibility of returning to the Brooklyn Nets if they make him a decent offer.
But it does seem likely he will move to a new team. Spencer Dinwiddie averaged nearly 20 points per game before his injury, something he might not get with the Nets.
#2 Ben Simmons
Ben Simmons' performances in the NBA Eastern Conference semi-finals were a key storyline in the ongoing 2021 NBA playoffs.
The Atlanta Hawks deployed the 'Hack-a-Simmons' strategy, and his struggles at the free-throw line wrecked his series. He was visibly afraid to hold the ball, fearing he could get fouled, and that limited his production.
Joel Embiid was evidently frustrated with his co-star, and even Simmons' coach Doc Rivers subtly blamed the player for his team's loss. Rivers was asked if Ben Simmons could be a point guard for an NBA championship team, to which he replied that he is unsure.
Ben Simmons-related trade rumors instantly started flooding as the 76ers are reportedly looking to trade him. LA Lakers legend Magic Johnson weighed in on the Simmons situation, saying:
"Ben...It's time for a change because he can't recover from this. The locker room won't recover from it...Yeah, he's got to be somewhere else. The locker room and the fans (is over with, people can't trust him). It's over. It's over. You can't recover from this"
Simmons has already been linked with the Golden State Warriors and the Portland Trail Blazers in NBA trade rumors, and it does seem like Ben Simmons would play for a new team next season.
Also Read: "Ben Simmons can't recover from this": Is Magic Johnson's criticism of the Philadelphia 76ers point guard justified or a knee-jerk reaction?
#3 Dennis Schroder
Dennis Schroder's future with the LA Lakers has been in discussion for quite some time in the NBA. He removed the team's name from his Instagram biography, and that instantly sparked rumors about his exit.
Armin Andres, Vice President of the German Basketball Federation, recently spoke about Schröder, saying that the player is expecting to get a handsome paycheck in the off-season. Schroder reportedly 'communicated' his demand for a $100-120 million deal in the off-season. But with the LA Lakers having no cap space to offer Schroder that kind of contract, Schroder might be on the move to a new team.
Dennis Schroder, who will draw a salary of $15 million this season, becomes a free agent this off-season.
#4 Kyle Lowry
Kyle Lowry has been linked with numerous teams in the 2021 NBA off-season. He has been on the trade block for over a year, and it looks like his time with the Toronto Raptors is coming to an end. The LA Lakers are reportedly interested in acquiring a playmaking-oriented veteran point guard, so Lowry has been linked with them as he fits the description.
Kyle Lowry, 35, will draw a salary of $30 million this season. He has no player or team option in his deal and will enter free agency.
He is one of the hottest commodities in the 2021 NBA free agency market,t and many teams are already interested in his services. If the Raptors re-sign him, they'll have to operate as an over-the-cap team, but if they don't, they'll get roughly $14 million to sign free agents.
#5 Reggie Jackson
Reggie Jackson changed his reputation in the 2021 NBA playoffs. He was looking like one of the best players in the LA Clippers' roster and showed up in clutch moments for the team. He is now a free agent and is expected to draw suitors from all around the league.
Farbod Esnaashari, a renowned LA Clippers reporter for Sports Illustrated, wrote about Jackson:
"Reggie Jackson went from being 'I didn't pass the ball for that sh*t' to arguably the most clutch player on the Clippers this season, and arguably the biggest fan favorite. I love that."
Jackson was expected to get a small deal in the off-season, but his exploits in the 2021 NBA playoffs have now opened up the market for him to draw bigger contracts. He averaged 17.8 points and 3.4 assists on 40% shooting from the floor in the playoffs.
Jackson will draw a salary of $2.5 million this season and will enter NBA free agency.
Also Read: Dennis Schröder 'communicates' his demand for a $100-120 million contract in NBA free agency: Does his performance justify the paycheck?
