Larry Markkanen is one of the players eligible for a contract extension.
The offseason isn’t just for new signings. Also the time to extend the contract.
Jayson Tatum has already signed the largest contract in NBA history, a five-year, $314 extension that begins next summer. He’s not the only starter the defending champion Boston Celtics have acquired beyond next season; They inked Derrick White to a four-year, $118 extension.
More deals could be on the horizon. Extensions (and potential extensions) can be divided into two groups…
New extensions
Players selected in the first round of the 2021 draft have one year remaining on their contracts until their third- and fourth-year options are picked up. But contract extensions can be signed until October 21, the day before the start of the 2024-25 season. If they don’t sign an extension before the season starts (see Dyers Maxey for an example from last year), they will be restricted free agents in 2025.
Already signed/agreed to extensions: Kate Cunningham (1st overall pick), Scotty Barnes (4th) and Franz Wagner (8th)
All three signed for the maximum, expected to be $225 million over five years (2025-26 to 2029-30).
All three still have a few things to prove. Wagner might be the second most important player on a good team, but struggled with his 3-point shooting (28%) last season. Barnes is the best two-way player of the trio but has yet to prove he is a leading man. Cunningham, the No. 1 pick three years ago, has accomplished the least of the trio, especially in terms of the team’s success. The Pistons are 32-106 (.232) in games he has played.
But those contracts are only 25% of the salary cap in ’25-26, and as the cap is expected to rise over the years, that percentage will decrease throughout their contracts.
Still, it’s unclear whether anyone else in the ’21 draft class will receive the maximum. Another 21 players are eligible for rookie extensions. Here is the list:
Choices 1-10: Jalen Green (New – 2), Evan Mobley (CLE – 3), Jalen Suggs (ORL-5), Josh Gidde (CHI – 6), Jonathan Guminga (GSW – 7), Davion Mitchell (TOR – 9) and Gear Williams (MEM – 10).
Mobley is a great candidate for a max extension or closer. Even if Suggs is the guy on this list, his team can be pretty sure what kind of player he will be over the next few years. Green, Kittie and Kuminga are all very intriguing, but not proven starters after three years in the league.
Exams 11-20: Chris Duarte (CHI – 13), Moses Moody (GSW – 14), Corey Gisbert (WAS-15), Alberan Sengun (New – 16), Trey Murphy III (NOP-17), Three men (CHA – 18) and Jalen Johnson (ATL-20).
Sengun, Murphy and Johnson are players the Rockets, Pelicans and Hawks will definitely want to keep. If the Wizards can sign Gisbert to a reasonable extension, he could be a piece they retain for a rebuild or (eventually) trade to a contender for future assets.
Exams 21-30: Isaiah Jackson (IND – 22), Quentin Grimes (DAL – 25), Bones Highland (LAC – 26), Cam Thomas (PKN – 27), Jaden Springer (BOS – 28), Da’Ron Sharp (PKN – 29) And Saints Altama (MEM – 30).
Jackson, Grimes, Sharp and Altama have proven they can handle rotation minutes, though Grimes could get lost in the shuffle in Dallas. Thomas is a combustible scorer who has yet to show that he can consistently help the Nets win games, but he will have the ball in his hands quite a bit this season.
2021 draft class, most career points per game
| player | GP | PPG | RASB/G | TS% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kate Cunningham | 138 | 20.0 | 13.1 | 52.3% |
| Jalen Green | 225 | 19.8 | 8.5 | 54.2% |
| Franz Wagner | 231 | 17.8 | 9.3 | 57.5% |
| Scotty Barnes | 211 | 16.6 | 14.2 | 54.7% |
| Evan Mobley | 198 | 15.6 | 14.0 | 58.4% |
| Alberan Sengun | 210 | 14.9 | 13.5 | 58.2% |
| Cam Thomas | 190 | 14.0 | 5.0 | 54.9% |
| Josh Gidde | 210 | 13.9 | 14.2 | 52.4% |
| Jonathan Guminga | 211 | 11.9 | 6.6 | 59.8% |
| Trey Murphy III | 198 | 11.7 | 6.2 | 62.1% |
RASB/G = Rebounds + Assists + Steals + Blocks per game
TS% = PTS / (2 * (FGA + (0.44 * FTA)))
At least 100 games were played
Senior Extensions
Already signed/acknowledged by: Tatum ($314M/5 years), Bam Adebayo ($166M/3), Jalen Brunson ($157M/4), Donovan Mitchell ($150M/3), White ($126M/4) and Jonathan Isaac ($67M/ 4)
Tatum and Adebayo’s deals were not surprising. Both Brunson and White prioritized maximizing their money on defense and (potentially) building a team (if they wait a year). Mitchell’s deal gives the Cavs some time to see if they can get over the hump with their current core and a new coach, and Isaac gets a big raise for the upcoming season, although the later years of his rookie deal are limited or not guaranteed.
More than 50 players are eligible to sign contract extensions either now or before the start of the 2024-25 season. Here are the most interesting of those players:
1. Larry Markkanen (UTA) – The 27-year-old tops the list when it comes to trade talk post-free agency. But August. 6, he’ll be eligible for a contract extension that could increase his ’24-25 salary from $18 million as the Jazz are under the salary cap.
2. Brandon Ingram (NOP) – Like Markkanen, Ingram could be traded, extended, both or neither. With the addition of DeJounte Murray in New Orleans, the Pelicans seem to have more guys who need the ball, but Ingram is still only 26 years old (turns 27 in September).
3. Michael Bridges and Julius Randle (NYK) – Given all the draft picks they traded for him, we know Bridges is part of the Knicks’ future plans. We don’t know about Randall. Both have two years left on their current contracts, and both are eligible to sign extensions that add another three years (through 2028-29) (later this offseason).
4. Jamal Murray (DEN) – Like Brunson, Murray could get a big contract if he waits a year and becomes a free agent next July. But there are signs that he and the Nuggets will ink a four-year extension this summer.
One of the other players eligible for extensions this offseason Stephen Curry (He has two years left on his current contract) Kevin Durant (two), Joel Embiid (three), De’Aaron Fox (two), Rudy Gobert (two) and Jeron Jackson Jr (Two). Because of their ages, Curry and Durant can only add one year to their current contracts.
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John Schuhman is a senior statistical analyst for NBA.com. You can email him here, find his archive here and Follow him on X.
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