As free agency kicks off later today, the formidable list of starting-caliber point guards who are available to sign or trade for may reshape the 2021–22 season’s title race. At the same time, given the position’s increasingly ambivalent role in a game that’s less interested in structure than it is sheer velocity, these transactions may ultimately fizzle before having the type of impact common sense expects them to.
It’s possible we see every relevant point guard stay put, but—especially after Russell Westbrook was traded to the Lakers—a game of musical chairs is just as likely, given the number of teams that need/want someone to shepherd their offense.