5 players likely to re-sign with their current teams in 2021 NBA Free Agency
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.