Free agency is an exciting period for NBA teams because they have a chance to restructure their rosters with the best available talent. There are a ton of valuable guards who can immediately improve any team's backcourt. This upcoming free agency period has Hall of Fame and All-Star talent, and a lot of teams will be watching closely.

Guards in today's game have incredible skill thanks to their passing and scoring ability, and missing out on a talented free agent pool would hurt teams who didn't do enough to improve their squads. Here is the list of the upcoming free agents sorted by player option, team option, and any restrictions in free agency.

List Of All 2021 Backcourt Free Agents

Player Options

Chris Paul - Player Option - $44,211,146

Norman Powell - Player Option - $11,615,328

Will Barton - Player Option - $14,669,642

Josh Richardson - Player Option - $11,615,328

Kris Dunn - Player Option - $5,005,350

Bryn Forbes - Player Option - $2,454,002

Team Options

Goran Dragic - Team Option - $19,440,000

Avery Bradley - Team Option - $5,916,750

Ryan Arcidiacono - Team Option - $3,000,000

Edmond Sumner - Team Option - $2,320,000

DaQuan Jeffries - Team Option - $1,701,593

Restricted Free Agents

Lonzo Ball - Restricted Free Agent

Duncan Robinson - Restricted Free Agent

Malik Monk - Restricted Free Agent

Gary Trent Jr. - Restricted Free Agent

Bruce Brown Jr. - Restricted Free Agent

Talen Horton-Tucker - Restricted Free Agent

Devonte' Graham - Restricted Free Agent

Kendrick Nunn - Restricted Free Agent

Hamidou Diallo - Restricted Free Agent

Josh Hart - Restricted Free Agent

Dennis Smith Jr. - Restricted Free Agent

Frank Ntilikina - Restricted Free Agent

Terence Davis - Restricted Free Agent

Mike James - Restricted Free Agent

Chris Chiozza - Restricted Free Agent

Armoni Brooks - Restricted Free Agent

Garrison Mathews - Restricted Free Agent

Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk - Restricted Free Agent

Theo Pinson - Restricted Free Agent

Javonte Green - Restricted Free Agent

Brandon Goodwin - Restricted Free Agent

Sindarius Thornwell - Restricted Free Agent

Jared Harper - Restricted Free Agent

Shaquille Harrison - Restricted Free Agent

Skylar Mays - Restricted Free Agent

Saben Lee - Restricted Free Agent

Tyler Bey - Restricted Free Agent

Markus Howard - Restricted Free Agent

Max Strus - Restricted Free Agent

Grant Riller - Restricted Free Agent

Nate Darling - Restricted Free Agent

Kyle Guy - Restricted Free Agent

Amir Coffey - Restricted Free Agent

Nico Mannion - Restricted Free Agent

Axel Toupane - Restricted Free Agent

Chasson Randle - Restricted Free Agent

Adam Mokoka - Restricted Free Agent

Tremont Waters - Restricted Free Agent

Trent Forrest - Restricted Free Agent

Cassius Stanley - Restricted Free Agent

Jalen Harris - Restricted Free Agent

Jordan McLaughlin - Restricted Free Agent

Frank Jackson - Restricted Free Agent

Cassius Winston - Restricted Free Agent

Nate Hinton - Restricted Free Agent

Gabe Vincent - Restricted Free Agent

Devon Dotson - Restricted Free Agent

Quinndary Weatherspoon - Restricted Free Agent

Unrestricted Free Agents

DeMar DeRozan - Unrestricted Free Agent

Kyle Lowry - Unrestricted Free Agent

Mike Conley - Unrestricted Free Agent

Victor Oladipo - Unrestricted Free Agent

Spencer Dinwiddie - Unrestricted Free Agent

Tim Hardaway Jr. - Unrestricted Free Agent

Dennis Schröder - Unrestricted Free Agent

Derrick Rose - Unrestricted Free Agent

Evan Fournier - Unrestricted Free Agent

Louis Williams - Unrestricted Free Agent

Danny Green - Unrestricted Free Agent

Cameron Payne - Unrestricted Free Agent

Reggie Jackson - Unrestricted Free Agent

Alec Burks - Unrestricted Free Agent

T.J. McConnell - Unrestricted Free Agent

Alex Caruso - Unrestricted Free Agent

J.J. Redick - Unrestricted Free Agent

Patrick Mills - Unrestricted Free Agent

Tony Snell - Unrestricted Free Agent

Dante Exum - Unrestricted Free Agent

Ishmael Smith - Unrestricted Free Agent

Garrett Temple - Unrestricted Free Agent

Elfrid Payton - Unrestricted Free Agent

Denzel Valentine - Unrestricted Free Agent

Wesley Matthews - Unrestricted Free Agent

Wayne Ellington - Unrestricted Free Agent

E'Twaun Moore - Unrestricted Free Agent

Kent Bazemore - Unrestricted Free Agent

Austin Rivers - Unrestricted Free Agent

Brad Wanamaker - Unrestricted Free Agent

Matthew Dellavedova - Unrestricted Free Agent

Langston Galloway - Unrestricted Free Agent

Tyler Johnson - Unrestricted Free Agent

Raul Neto - Unrestricted Free Agent

Sterling Brown - Unrestricted Free Agent

David Nwaba - Unrestricted Free Agent

Jeff Teague - Unrestricted Free Agent

Troy Daniels - Unrestricted Free Agent

Tim Frazier - Unrestricted Free Agent

Frank Mason III - Unrestricted Free Agent

The biggest name on the list of available guards in free agency is future Hall of Famer Chris Paul. The point guard is not only the best leader in the game but arguably the most important reason the Phoenix Suns are in the Western Conference Finals right now. Paul averaged 16.4 PPG and 8.9 APG for Phoenix this year and still has plenty left in the tank to offer teams. Based on their success this season, Phoenix would prefer Paul opts-in and stays with the team. Unless Paul can get a longer deal for more money, this might be a good decision for the point guard as well.

For players with team options, it is likely only Edmond Sumner and DaQuan Jeffries (who are making minimal money) will be returning to their teams. Goran Dragic is 35 years of age with a ton of health issues so a $19 million contract won't intrigue the Heat that much as they look to build a contender next season. The restricted free agent pool looks a lot more interesting.

What will happen with Lonzo Ball? Even though the Pelicans were rumored to be shopping the former No. 2 overall pick, he has a very high ceiling as a 23-year old with incredible passing ability and athleticism. Unless a team is offering max money for Lonzo, he should be returning to New Orleans even if it means he is involved in a sign and trade. Guys like Malik Monk, Taken Horton-Tucker, and Bruce Brown have all made names for themselves this season and will likely be returning to their respective teams. Duncan Robinson has especially made his presence felt by shooting 40.8% from three this season and could be earning a big contract this offseason. Reggie Jackson and Cameron Payne have played exceptionally well for the Clippers and Suns respectively and should be priorities for both teams this summer.

The juiciest names in the free-agent pool after Chris Paul include DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry, and Michael Conley. DeRozan averaged 21.6 PPG and 6.9 APG for the Spurs this season and is still in his prime. Contenders such as the Lakers have been after the 4-time All-Star because he is one of the best scorers in isolation.

Kyle Lowry is one of the best leaders at the point guard position and averaged 17.2 PPG and 7.3 APG for the Raptors. Lowry is a Raptors legend but the team might be headed in a new direction if they decide to rebuild. Michael Conley made his first All-Star Team this season so he could be happy returning to the Utah Jazz who held the #1 seed in the West this season.

Other big names include Tim Hardaway Jr, Dennis Schroder, Victor Oladipo, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Derrick Rose. Hardaway Jr played excellent ball alongside Luka Doncic in Dallas so Mark Cuban and the Mavericks would certainly welcome the sharpshooter back to the roster. Schroder is after max money but after his poor postseason with the Lakers, he likely won't get it. Victor Oladipo and Spencer Dinwiddie are both coming off major injuries and Oladipo might be missing the entire 2022 season. It remains to be seen if both players can stay healthy because they are All-Star caliber when on the court.

For fans, the destinations of Derrick Rose and Alex Caruso matter. Rose averaged 14.7 PPG and 4.2 APG for the Knicks this season as one of the major reasons New York made the playoffs this year. Alex Caruso is the ultimate meme star, and even when running into a bit of off-court trouble this week, he can play solid on-ball defense and will have offers from other teams. This will be one of the most exciting free agent periods in recent memory because we might be seeing some critical player movement happen this summer.

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The Full List Of 2021 NBA Free Agents: Forwards And Centers