2021 NBA Free Agents: With Giannis Antetokounmpo signing a new contract, who else remains on the list?
Prior to the 2020-21 NBA season starting on December 22nd, there was still one NBA Free Agency deal that remained under the spotlight - Giannis Antetokounmpo's supermax extension with the Milwaukee Bucks. Now that the reigning MVP has signed the contract, all eyes are now looking to the 2021 NBA Free Agents who will be available next year.
After a number of key players penned new deals this offseason, we will have a look at who the most eye-catching names of next year's NBA Free Agency window will be.
2021 NBA Free Agents: Superstar names still available next year across the league
Giannis Antetokounmpo ended the NBA offseason's rumor mill surrounding his future on Tuesday when he signed a huge contract extension to stay in Milwaukee for an additional five years. The Greek superstar was set to be among the 2021 NBA Free Agents but has now been removed from that list along with several other top names across the league.
Despite this, there are still a number of exciting prospects that could expect new deals next year or find a new team. These include Kawhi Leonard, Rudy Gobert, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, Victor Oladipo, Kyle Lowry, and DeMar DeRozan.
Although a lot of key players are no longer on the list, the 2021 NBA Free Agents are almost as notable as this year. If the LA Clippers are unable to at least reach the Western Conference Finals or better, we could expect Kawhi Leonard to want a move. Then, there is DeMar DeRozan who has been heavily linked with a move out of San Antonio after his time there has already proven to be disappointing.
2021 NBA Free Agents: List shortens after a string of high-profile names sign new deals
This year's offseason has been extremely busy with several of the league's biggest names agreeing to new deals which removes them from the list of 2021 NBA Free Agents. Giannis Antetokounmpo is just the latest in a long line of high-profile deals which have included the likes of LeBron James, Paul George, Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, and Jrue Holiday.
James signed a 2-year deal to stay in LA until he is 38, which proves how much faith the franchise have in his abilities. Across town, despite searching the league for potential suitors, the Clippers offered forward Paul George a massive 4-year, $190 million extension.
Though these deals shorten the list for those involved as 2021 NBA Free Agents, there will still be plenty of noise around the futures of those players who could be looking to join a championship-favorite team.