From Giannis to LeBron: Ranking the 2021 NBA Free Agent Class

NBA Free Agency simply doesn't stop and with the 2021 class looking loaded, the Complex Sports team decided to rank every player that will be available.

Jul 11, 2019
lebron giannis
Image via Getty
lebron giannis
Image via Getty

This year's NBA Free Agency madness is just coming to an end, but that's not stoping fans from dreaming about super teams of the future. And despite Adam Silver's recent suggestion that the league might need to do something to change the current free agent process, speculation about the loaded 2021 class has already begun.

The conversations about the 2021 NBA free agent class were already underway because Giannis will be a free agent that summer and will still only be entering his prime. But after yesterday when details of Kawhi Leonard's contract leaked, the discussion turned up real quick. As of now, we could see Giannis, Kawhi, Paul George, Bradley Beal, CJ McCollum, Rudy Gobert, Victor Oladipo, Blake Griffin, Mike Conley, and Jrue Holiday all become free agents. Oh, and also potentially a guy named LeBron James.

13.

2021 FA Class as of today

Giannis Antetokounmpo
LeBron James
Kawhi Leonard
Paul George
Blake Griffin
Bradley Beal
CJ McCollum
Rudy Gobert
Victor Oladipo
Mike Conley
Lamarcus Aldridge
Jrue Holiday

— Ralph Mason (@Ralph_MasonJr) July 10, 2019

That's insane and possibly the biggest free agency class we may ever see. The news of Kawhi Leonard taking essentially a two-year deal with the Clippers wasn't fully shocking, but certainly puts them on the clock to win immediatly with him and Paul George. Who knows what the state of the NBA will look like in two years, but with the quickness in which things change in the league, we could be due for another huge shakeup in just two years. 

Will Giannis leave the Bucks? Will LeBron actually leave the Lakers? Could Kawhi bounce to the Lakers from the Clippers? Will the Knicks finally do something? There's already so many potential storylines and we're nowhere near 2021 free agency. This is the way the league works now, and with that in mind, the Complex Sports team gave a quick ranking to all the potential FAs for the 2021 class because, why not? Not like there's any basketball on. We need to fill the void. 

12. LaMarcus Aldridge

lamarcus aldridge
Image via Getty

LaMarcus Aldridge will be almost 36-year-old by the time 2021 free agency comes around, but his game does traslate well as he ages. At this point he should be open to joining a contender at a discount and could really help an already good team. 

11. Mike Conley

Mike Conley practices his shot.
Image via USA Today Sports/Jasen Vinlove

Mike Conley is set up for a huge season this year with the Utah Jazz, but when 2021 free agency hits, he'll still only be 33-years-old and primed to help a contender. Doubtful he'd get max money like his last contract, but Conley will surely still be a valuable free agent that summer. 

10. LeBron James

LeBron James
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This isn't a hot take when you really think about it. LeBron is set to turn 35 this season. He suffered the worst injury of his career last season, and while I fully expect him to bounce back this season, how much will he be willing to play in 2021? This will be a fascinating story to watch up until then. 

9. Blake Griffin

Blake Griffin
Image via Getty / Brian Sevald

Blake Griffin is still really good and getting him on a contender in 2021 would be amazing. Please, let this happen. 

8. Jrue Holiday

Jrue Holiday Pelicans Pistons 2018
Image via USA Today Sports/Tim Fuller

Jrue Holiday is one of the most underrated players in the NBA and isn't even 30 yet. He'll be a steal for some team in two years. 

7. CJ McCollum

C.J. McCollum on the court.
Image via USA Today Sports/Sergio Estrada

You have to wonder if CJ might want to go out on his own when he becomes a free agent in 2021. Or if the Blazers want to pay him and Dame max contracts. 

6. Rudy Gobert

rudy gobert
Image via Getty/Gene Sweeney Jr.

Gobert will get a max deal with his next contract but I'm still iffy on how he fits into the NBA going forward. He's obviously won "Defensive Player of the Year" twice, but has been exposed a bit come playoff time. 

5. Victor Oladipo

Victor Oladipo
Image via USA Today Sports/Ken Blaze

Victor Oladipo is just now entering his prime and only getting better. Would be a big loss for the Pacers if they lost him in two years. 

4. Bradley Beal

Bradley Beal waits for the next person to test him, so he can apply another chokehold.
Image via USA Today Sports/Kim Klement

I sort of wonder if Bradley Beal will get traded over the next two seasons. He's really, really good and seeing him on a true contender would be a lot of fun. 

3. Paul George

Paul George #13 of the Oklahoma City Thunder
Image via Timothy Nwachukwu/Getty

As I wrote in the intro, no team is under more pressure the next two seasons than the Clippers. Kawhi and Paul George will hit the market at the same time and it will be up to the Clippers to keep them. The clock starts now. 

2. Kawhi Leonard

Kawhi Leonard
Image via Getty/Jesse D. Garrabrant

The "Fun Guy" will likely be a free agent again in two years and I don't know if I can handle that. His free agency this summer was so wild. I almost thought about making Kawhi No. 1 on this list, but his age and injury history does come into play. How nervous are the Clippers right now? 

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo

gianni
Image via Getty/Jonathan Daniel

I'm honestly not sure NBA Twitter is ready for Giannis' free agency. He's said all the right things when it comes to the Bucks, but so have others in the past. This will be talked about non-stop for the next two years, and the Bucks are officially on the clock. They're the favorites in the East, but they can't keep coming up short. Because if they do, you might as well say goodbye to Giannis. Where might he go? That's the million dollar question. 

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