NBA Free Agency: Kawhi Leonard, Chris Paul Are Best Players Who Can Leave Playoff Teams

The 2021 NBA free-agent class isn’t one of the deepest in recent years, but a couple of superstars are headed for the open market. Kawhi Leonard and Chris Paul are the best players who have the ability to willingly change teams this offseason.

Both Leonard and Paul can become free agents by opting out of the final year of their respective contracts. Leonard has a player option worth $36 million for the 2021-22 season. Paul’s option comes with a $44.2 million salary.

While there’s no guarantee that either player will hit free agency, it probably makes the most financial sense for them to terminate their current deals.

Leonard would be eligible to sign a new contract with a starting salary north of $39 million. Just about any team with enough cap space to do so would make a max offer to the two-time NBA Finals MVP.

At 36 years old, Paul is unlikely to get a significant raise, but he could land a new contract that would provide him with some security going forward. For example, a new three-year deal worth around $100 million might be in the range of what a few teams would pay Paul, considering he continues to perform like a top-10 player.

The general consensus seems to be that both players will remain with their current teams. Leonard left the defending champion Toronto Raptors in 2019 and passed up a chance to play for the Los Angeles Lakers to join his hometown Clippers. Paul welcomed last year’s trade to the Phoenix Suns, whom he led to the West’s No. 2 seed.

An early playoff exit, however, could raise questions about the future plans for either player.

The Clippers have failed to meet expectations in Leonard’s two seasons with the team. Paul has never reached the NBA Finals in his Hall-of-Fame career.

Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley, DeMar DeRozan of the San Antonio Spurs guard and Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry are the other All-Star-caliber players headed for free agency this summer.