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With the 2021 NBA Free Agency set to begin in a month, rumors surrounding some of the top prospects have been flying thick and fast.
Players who put on stellar showings in the 2020-21 NBA season will be eager to capitalize on the same to negotiate and secure profitable deals for themselves. Meanwhile, their current teams will hope they can come to a mutual agreement and re-sign these players.
On that note, let's have a look at five players who are likely to stay with their current teams for the foreseeable future and the factors that could influence them to do so, in the 2021 NBA Free Agency.
#5 Lou Williams (Atlanta Hawks)
Lou Williams started the season playing for the LA Clippers and was traded to the Atlanta Hawks at the trade deadline in a deal that saw Rajon Rondo go the other way. Williams later revealed that he was seriously contemplating retiring from the game if the Clippers were to trade him mid-season. However, he still ended up playing for his hometown team and had a brilliant season collectively.
The Atlanta Hawks made it to the NBA Eastern Conference Finals in the 2021 NBA Playoffs, where Lou Williams played a crucial role for the team off the bench. He provided cover for the likes of Trae Young and Bogdan Bogdanovic, averaging ten points and 3.4 assists per contest across 24 games and 21 minutes of play-time.
Lou Williams made his first playoff start against the Milwaukee Bucks, scoring 21 points and eight assists in the absence of Trae Young, who was sidelined because of an injury. The Hawks won the game and leveled the series 2-2. The 16-season veteran recently posted a picture on Instagram hinting that he could return next NBA season.
The Atlanta Hawks do not have much cap flexibility for next season and could be happy with the prospect of re-signing Lou Williams, who could be a cheap and efficient option as a bench player. They do not have a backup point guard at the moment, and Williams showed during the 2020-21 NBA season that he still has a lot to offer.
#4 Mike Conley (Utah Jazz)
Mike Conley had a terrific season for the Utah Jazz. He made his debut NBA All-Star appearance and was key in helping them achieve the best record in the league this season.
The Jazz did not have a fairy-tale end to their campaign, though, as they endured a tough second-round series loss against the depleted LA Clippers in the playoffs.
Conley averaged 16.2 points and six assists per game on a career-best 44% shooting from beyond the arc. Both the Jazz and the player will be looking to replicate the kind of season they had, which could be possible if they continue their partnership for the foreseeable future.
The Utah Jazz can go over the salary cap if they want to re-sign Conley. That will be more suitable for them instead of looking for a point guard of Conley's caliber in the market, which would be a challenging proposition financially.
The head coach of the team, Quin Snyder, and the rest of the players are also keen on having Conley back next season, which makes it highly plausible for the Jazz to bring the player back for the 2021-22 campaign.
#3 Derrick Rose
Derrick Rose rejuvenated himself while playing for the New York Knicks, who made their return to the NBA Playoffs after a seven-year-long wait.
He started his season with the Detroit Pistons but returned to play for the Knicks via a trade deal. The Knicks benefitted from his acquisition, as Rose was key in helping them achieve homecourt advantage in the 2021 NBA Playoffs.
He averaged 14.9 points and 4.2 assists per game during the 35 regular-season games he played for the Knicks. Rose also shot a career-best 41% from the field. He provided the Knicks with a solid boost coming off the bench and was key in helping them through rough patches offensively.
His performances unexpectedly improved in the 2021 NBA Playoffs, which according to NBA rumors, could be a reason why the New York Knicks re-sign him in the 2021 NBA Free Agency. Rose would also be a cheaper option for the Knicks, as the team would be able to spend heavily on a starting caliber-point guard in the summer.
Derrick Rose averaged a whopping 19.4 points and five assists per game, shooting 47.6% from the field in the postseason. He also started three games and led the team in total points and assists.
#2 Kawhi Leonard
Free agency talks surrounding Kawhi Leonard's future have been one of the most trending topics in the last few weeks. The LA Clippers were very close to a first-round exit after the Dallas Mavericks gave them a run for their money. The Clippers twice recovered from deficits (0-2 and 2-3) to prevail in seven games.
They also made a remarkable comeback against the Utah Jazz in round two but came up short against the Phoenix Suns in the Conference Finals. Nonetheless, the Clippers pretty much proved that they are a team to be feared in the postseason. That's because they made it to the Conference Finals despite facing many adversities.
Kawhi Leonard's injury against the Utah Jazz was one of the many problems the Clippers faced during the NBA playoffs. The series was tied at 2-2 when Leonard, sidelined because of a knee injury, was ruled out for the eight subsequent games the Clippers played in the playoffs.
Leonard has a $36 million player option this off-season, which he is likely to decline in the hope of securing a max deal. With the LA Clippers putting together a formidable run and Ty Lue having an excellent relationship with Kawhi Leonard, it makes it likely that the player could stay on with the Clippers. Leonard chose the Clippers, as the team is based in his hometown LA when he signed with them in 2019.
Moreover, there is reason to believe the Clippers could have made the NBA Finals if Leonard was available. That's because most of their games against the Phoenix Suns were close encounters, and Leonard's presence could have made a difference.
Other teams looking to make a hard push for Leonard are the New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks, who seem far from being title-contenders as of now. So the player could instead re-sign with the Clippers, who are in a better position in that regard.
#1 Chris Paul
Chris Paul has a player option this summer that would see him earn $42 million next season if he opts in. However, he is likely to turn that down and look to secure a multi-year deal from the Phoenix Suns. The Suns have the advantage of offering the point guard a four-year deal, something other teams can't do if they wish to pursue Paul.
According to Bobby Marks of ESPN, the Suns can offer Paul a four-year deal, while potential suitors, the New York Knicks, can’t go past three years because of an obscure 'over-38' bylaw in the collective bargaining agreement. It would be more intriguing for CP3 to sign a four-year contract, which will run through till he turns 40.
Moreover, he is set to make his debut NBA Finals appearance with the Phoenix Suns this season. That should be enough to assure him that the team is a potential playoff contender for a few seasons, to say the least. The Suns will also likely strive to make a strong push to keep Paul, as he was the driving force behind their successful 2020-21 campaign.
Guess the Lakers players!
