2021 NBA Free Agency: Who are the best shooting guards available?

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NBA free agency is set to begin on Monday, Aug. 2, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. ET.

As that date quickly approaches, we're taking a closer look at the biggest names that could enter free agency, position by position. After looking at the best point guards, power forwards and centres we shift our focus to the best shooting guards on the free agency market.

The shooting guard position is quite loaded this time around, headlined by the likes of established veterans in DeMar DeRozan, Norman Powell and Tim Hardaway Jr as well as a few young restricted free agents that could set the market based on contract negotiations.

Who will stay put? Who moves on? Let's take a look at some of the best shooting guards set to enter free agency.

Honourable Mention

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  • Alec Burks, New York Knicks (unrestricted): often the closer for New York, averaged 12.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 25.6 minutes per game.
  • Malik Monk, Charlotte Hornets (restricted): sixth-man sparkplug averaged 11.7 points while connecting on 40.1 percent of 5.0 3-point attempts per game.
  • JJ Redick, Dallas Mavericks (unrestricted): career 41.5 percent 3-point shooter looks to bounce back after an injury-riddled down year.
  • Gary Trent Jr., Toronto Raptors (restricted): in a larger role, experienced a breakout season, averaging 16.2 points per game following the trade that sent him to the Raptors.

5. Victor Oladipo, Miami Heat

oladipo

Status: Unrestricted

Age: 29 years old

2020-21 averages: 19.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 32.7 minutes per game.

A two-time All-Star, Oladipo could very well have been headlining this list had it not been for concerns around his health.

After beginning the season with the Indiana Pacers, Oladipo was traded to the Houston Rockets early in the season before being dealt to Miami at the trade deadline. The 29-year-old only suited up four times for the Heat before he was sidelined with an injury and, in mid-May, underwent his second quadriceps surgery since January 2019.

While he is expected to make a full recovery, Oladipo is unlikely to be cleared before November, and there will understandably be questions surrounding the return of the explosiveness that makes him a unique two-way player.

4. Evan Fournier, Boston Celtics

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Status: Unrestricted

Age: 28 years old

2020-21 averages: 17.1 points, 3.4 assists, 3.0 rebounds in 30.0 minutes per game

A trade deadline deal sent Fournier from the Orlando Magic to Boston, where he was looked upon to provide a major offensive punch.

Fournier had a tough go to start, beginning his tenure as a Celtic with an 0-for-10 performance, only to enter the league's Health and Safety Protocols once he began to find his footing within the offence four games in. As a starter in the playoffs, Fournier was solid, posting averages of 15.4 points and 3.6 rebounds while draining 2.6 3s per game at a 43.3 percent clip.

While the 28-year-old will be representing France at the Olympics when free agency begins, he should command plenty of interest as a prolific wing.

3. Tim Hardaway Jr., Dallas Mavericks

Hardaway

Status: Unrestricted

Age: 29 years old

2020-21 averages: 16.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists in 28.4 minutes per game

Hardaway was a key cog in the Mavericks' offence this past season, doing it as both a starter (31 games) and a reserve (31 games).

This fact was amplified in the playoffs, as Hardaway averaged 23.0 points on 51.8 percent shooting from deep in Dallas' three wins, while he averaged just 12.5 points on 30.0 percent shooting from beyond the arc in its four losses.

Given the importance to keep shooters around superstar Luka Doncic, Hardaway will be a high priority for the Mavs this offseason, but based on his play, they will have a few suitors to compete with.

2. Norman Powell, Portland Trail Blazers

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Status: Player option

Age: 28 years old

2020-21 averages: 18.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 32.0 minutes per game

Powell has a player option for the upcoming season worth $11.6 million, but he is set to command much more on the open market if and when he decides to enter free agency.

A change of scenery didn't deter Powell at all, as he posted averages of 17.0 points and 3.3 rebounds following the trade deadline deal that sent him to the Blazers. In the postseason, Powell remained consistent, again averaging 17.0 points but on more efficient .500/.385/.889 shooting splits.

At 28, Powell is due for the biggest payday of his career to date and with changes abound in Portland, it is unclear if he'll remain in the Pacific Northwest. Wherever he lands, he'll bring consistent scoring and the championship DNA picked up from his role in the Raptors' historic run of 2019.

1. DeMar DeRozan, San Antonio Spurs

DeRozan

Status: Unrestricted

Age: 31 years old

2020-21 averages: 21.6 points, 6.9 assists and 4.2 rebounds in 33.7 minutes per game

DeRozan will be 32 when the 2021-22 season begins, but his game is ageing gracefully because of the way he continues to add to it.

Case in point: DeRozan finished this past season averaging a career-best 6.9 assists per game, dishing out nine or more assists on 17 separate occasions. Last season, DeRozan played forward more than anything, but that was more of a testament to the Spurs' roster construction and, of course, DeRozan's versatility.

Naturally, he's still a shooting guard.

Offensively, DeRozan continues to stick to his bread-and-butter which is the mid-range jumper, but the 2021 NBA Playoffs serve as a reminder that the mid-range is a lost art that can be a key part of a successful offence. 

A team looking to win now could be the right fit for DeRozan, with NBA.com's Scott Rafferty listing the Knicks, Mavericks and Memphis Grizzlies and potential landing spots.

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Gilbert McGregor is an NBA content producer for The Sporting News.