By Bobby Marks | ESPN, 2025-02-19 20:00:00
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
无论一支球队是NBA总决赛的有力竞争者，还是注定成为六月选秀大会的乐透区球队，自由球员市场的话题都越来越近，距离常规赛结束只剩下不到两个月的时间。
在通往本赛季交易截止日的疯狂一周之后，当各支球队可以在6月30日开始与即将到来的自由球员进行谈判时，我们是否应该期待同样多的戏剧性场面？
这可能很难，但在目睹了那些改变联盟格局的交易之后，一些大牌球星可能会在夏天掀起波澜。勒布朗·詹姆斯(LeBron James)、詹姆斯·哈登(James Harden)和凯里·欧文(Kyrie Irving)都是有资格进入自由球员市场的球星——但与他们目前的球队达成新协议是否更现实？
至于有钱可花的球队？嗯，这份名单也很短：布鲁克林篮网、芝加哥公牛、底特律活塞和孟菲斯灰熊是目前仅有的几支薪资低于工资帽的球队。
哪些球员和球队将在现在到休赛期之间加入战局？哪些新的工资帽限制将对球队产生最大的影响？
是的，现在才是二月。但我们已经在关注那些将主导六月、七月和八月的故事线了。以下是今年夏天自由球员和交易市场期间需要关注的重点，包括勒布朗、卢卡·东契奇(Luka Doncic)、凯文·杜兰特(Kevin Durant)以及维克托·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)的圣安东尼奥马刺的下一步行动。
跳转至以下部分： \
谁拥有优势？| 值得关注的自由球员\
值得关注的超级顶薪球员\
哪些球队掌控着休赛期？\
续约是否会主导休赛期？\
小举动带来夏季大影响\
为何8月2日是湖人队的重要日子\
马刺队是否会围绕文班亚马增加更多拼图？\
更多的CBA限制？！两条规则需要关注
今年夏天，哪些NBA自由球员将拥有最大的谈判筹码？
如果你在三年前问球队管理层，答案肯定不会是凯里·欧文。
那是2022年休赛期，在经历了与布鲁克林篮网动荡的一个赛季之后，自由球员市场上根本没有欧文的位置。这位后卫选择执行他在篮网的合同，因对球队不利的行为被禁赛八场，并最终在2023年交易截止日被交易到达拉斯独行侠。
现在，为本文接受调查的管理层一致认为，欧文是进入2025年休赛期时拥有最大谈判筹码的球员。
其中一个最大的原因是：他在2025-26赛季价值4300万美元的球员选项，如果他拒绝执行该选项，将使欧文第三次进入自由球员市场。
虽然欧文继续打出全NBA级别的表现，但管理层指出最近的卢卡·东契奇交易以及独行侠总经理尼科·哈里森(Nico Harrison)的言论，解释了为什么欧文有资格获得一份丰厚的合同。
“他符合我们的时间框架，”哈里森在谈到增加中锋安东尼·戴维斯时说。“如果你把他和凯里[欧文]以及其他球员搭配在一起，他就能与我们现在和未来都赢球的时间框架完美契合。而对我来说，未来是三到四年之后。”
只有在欧文签署新合同的情况下，这个时间表才存在。如果拒绝执行下赛季的选项，这位32岁的球员有资格获得一份为期五年、价值3.13亿美元的合同，但最合理的选择是一份为期三年、价值1.76亿美元的顶薪合同，这与戴维斯剩余的合同时间一致。
欧文的前队友勒布朗·詹姆斯也可能在今年夏天成为自由球员。这位40岁的球员在2025-26赛季拥有价值5260万美元的球员选项，如果拒绝执行该选项，他将有资格与湖人队签署一份为期三年、价值1.75亿美元的合同。他仍然有资格在他的下一份合同中加入不可交易条款。
在东契奇交易之后，他在湖人队的未来受到了质疑。
“如果我对这件事感到担忧，我会放弃我的不可交易条款，然后离开这里，”詹姆斯说。“我现在在这里。我现在在这里。我致力于湖人队。”
我们还应该关注哪些其他自由球员？
曾经，2025年自由球员阵容拥有戴维斯、杰森·塔图姆(Jayson Tatum)、吉米·巴特勒(Jimmy Butler)、多诺万·米切尔(Donovan Mitchell)、达米安·利拉德(Damian Lillard)、劳里·马尔卡宁(Lauri Markkanen)、鲁迪·戈贝尔(Rudy Gobert)、布兰登·英格拉姆(Brandon Ingram)和贾马尔·穆雷(Jamal Murray)。
这九名球员现在已经离开了自由球员市场，因为他们最近都签署了续约合同。
除了头牌詹姆斯和欧文之外，下一批自由球员可能包括詹姆斯·哈登、弗雷德·范弗利特(Fred VanVleet)、乔纳森·库明加(Jonathan Kuminga)、迈尔斯·特纳(Myles Turner)和卡梅隆·托马斯(Cam Thomas)。在这些顶级球员中，特纳是唯一没有选项或受限制的自由球员。
总而言之，以下是今年夏天值得关注的名字：
球队基石级别: 勒布朗·詹姆斯 (球员选项)
全明星级别: 凯里·欧文 (球员选项) 和 詹姆斯·哈登 (球员选项)
顶级首发级别: 弗雷德·范弗利特 (球队选项), 朱利叶斯·兰德尔(Julius Randle) (球员选项), 迈尔斯·特纳, 约什·吉迪(Josh Giddey) (受限制自由球员), 乔纳森·库明加 (受限制自由球员), 卡梅隆·托马斯 (受限制自由球员)
首发级别: 克林特·卡佩拉(Clint Capela), 丹吉洛·拉塞尔(D’Angelo Russell), 布鲁克·洛佩斯(Brook Lopez), 克里斯·米德尔顿(Khris Middleton) (球员选项), 纳兹·里德(Naz Reid) (球员选项), 凯利·乌布雷(Kelly Oubre Jr.) (球员选项), 泰厄斯·琼斯(Tyus Jones), 多里安·芬尼-史密斯(Dorian Finney-Smith) 和 约翰·科林斯(John Collins) (球员选项)
注意：布鲁克林、芝加哥、底特律和孟菲斯是预计在休赛期拥有薪资空间的仅有的几支球队。
既然卢卡·东契奇没有资格获得超级顶薪，还有哪些球员值得关注？
除非发生意外，否则谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大(Shai Gilgeous-Alexander)将在今年休赛期签下NBA历史上平均年薪最高的合同。俄克拉荷马城雷霆后卫预计将签署的四年2.93亿美元的续约合同，平均每个赛季的薪水为7300万美元。
吉尔杰斯-亚历山大有资格签署超级顶薪续约合同，因为他在2023年和2024年入选了NBA最佳阵容。然而，因为从今年夏天开始他还剩下两年合同，所以续约合同是额外的四个赛季，而不是五个赛季。
其他值得关注的球员包括孟菲斯灰熊的大个子小贾伦·杰克逊(Jaren Jackson Jr.)和亚特兰大老鹰的后卫特雷·杨(Trae Young)。如果他们中的任何一人入选NBA最佳阵容或最佳防守阵容，都有资格获得超级顶薪。而且，像东契奇一样，圣安东尼奥马刺的后卫德阿隆·福克斯(De’Aaron Fox)因为被交易而没有资格。
底特律活塞的后卫凯德·坎宁安(Cade Cunningham)和克利夫兰骑士的前锋埃文·莫布里(Evan Mobley)如果他们中的任何一人被评为NBA最佳阵容或年度最佳防守球员，他们五年2.24亿美元的续约合同可能会增加到2.69亿美元。
哪支球队掌控着休赛期？哪支球队是黑马？
休赛期的大戏将在布鲁克林上演。
篮网不仅预计拥有联盟最高的6000多万美元的薪资空间来签下自由球员或通过交易获得球员，他们还在今年的选秀大会上拥有四个首轮选秀权。
“你必须保持冷静，并为自己创造获得这种机会的条件，”总经理肖恩·马克斯(Sean Marks)在1月份表示。“我们将尽最大努力做到这一点。现在，在谁身上以及何时，这还有待确定。”
总的来说，布鲁克林在未来七年内拥有16个首轮选秀权——其中13个可以交易。他们还拥有17个次轮选秀权。
在西部，休斯顿火箭总经理拉斐尔·斯通(Rafael Stone)在交易截止日信守了他的诺言，当时他提到阵容不会发生变化。在评估了一年之后，这种想法会在今年休赛期改变吗？
火箭不像布鲁克林那样拥有薪资空间，但拥有选秀资产和合同，可以在休赛期进行一次大的运作。火箭今年可能从菲尼克斯太阳队获得一个乐透区选秀权，以及他们在2027年和2029年不受保护的首轮选秀权。火箭还可以在2027年与布鲁克林互换首轮选秀权，此外他们还拥有达拉斯独行侠队在2029年不受保护的首轮选秀权。
至于目前的阵容，火箭拥有一批经验丰富的球员（弗雷德·范弗利特、狄龙·布鲁克斯(Dillon Brooks)）和前首轮选秀权的新秀合同（贾巴里·史密斯(Jabari Smith Jr.)、阿门·汤普森(Amen Thompson)、里德·谢泼德(Reed Sheppard)、卡姆·惠特莫尔(Cam Whitmore)）。史密斯有资格在NBA总决赛结束后第一天开始续签新秀合同，而全明星阿尔佩伦·申京(Alperen Sengun)和杰伦·格林(Jalen Green)的毒丸条款将在7月1日解除。
续约是否会再次主导休赛期？2022届新秀呢？
预计球员绕过自由球员市场的趋势将继续。自2023年休赛期以来，已有67名球员签署了老将和新秀续约合同。这种增长是当前集体谈判协议的产物，该协议允许球员在进入自由球员市场之前签署更高金额的合同。
今年休赛期有资格续约的老将球员包括东契奇、杨、福克斯、杰克逊、尼古拉·约基奇(Nikola Jokic)、凯文·杜兰特、德文·布克(Devin Booker)、卡尔-安东尼·唐斯(Karl-Anthony Towns)、达里厄斯·加兰(Darius Garland)、贾·莫兰特(Ja Morant)、泰勒·希罗(Tyler Herro)、达米安·利拉德、CJ·麦科勒姆(CJ McCollum)和克里斯塔普斯·波尔津吉斯(Kristaps Porzingis)。
约基奇和唐斯在2022年签署的超级顶薪续约合同还剩下三年。如果他们拒绝执行2027-28赛季价值6280万美元的球员选项，每位球员将被允许续约三年，价值2.12亿美元。
对于俄克拉荷马城来说，保持阵容完整的代价将会变得昂贵。包括吉尔杰斯-亚历山大可能获得的2.93亿美元的超级顶薪续约合同，雷霆可能会向切特·霍姆格伦(Chet Holmgren)和杰伦·威廉姆斯(Jalen Williams)额外支付总计5.92亿美元的续约合同。
霍姆格伦、威廉姆斯和2023年年度最佳新秀保罗·班切罗(Paolo Banchero)有资格签署为期五年、价值2.46亿美元的续约合同。（班切罗可能成为自2007年德怀特·霍华德(Dwight Howard)以来，奥兰多魔术队第一位签署新秀顶薪续约合同的球员。）如果合同中包含NBA最佳阵容、MVP或年度最佳防守球员的荣誉，这些续约合同可能会增加到2.96亿美元。
其他值得关注的新秀续约候选人包括萨克拉门托国王队的前锋基根·穆雷(Keegan Murray)、休斯顿火箭队的前锋小贾巴里·史密斯、印第安纳步行者队的后卫本内迪克特·马瑟林(Bennedict Mathurin)、犹他爵士队的中锋沃克·凯斯勒(Walker Kessler)和迈阿密热火队的前锋尼古拉·约维奇(Nikola Jovic)。
交易截止日有哪些被低估的举动可能会影响休赛期？
孟菲斯总经理扎克·克莱曼(Zach Kleiman)坦言，他在2023年从波士顿凯尔特人队获得了马库斯·斯马特(Marcus Smart)，然后在2月份的交易截止日将他交易到了华盛顿奇才队。
“我们采取了一项到目前为止尚未奏效的举动，”克莱曼说。“我宁愿自己承担责任。这从我开始。你会止损，我们会让自己处于最佳位置，以便在未来组建球队。”
这笔交易具有未来的财务影响，因为它为灰熊队下赛季节省了2160万美元，使他们有更大的财务灵活性来重新谈判并延长杰克逊的合同。
重新谈判的选项将允许孟菲斯将杰克逊在2025-26赛季的2330万美元的薪水提高到3650万美元，然后额外延长四年，价值2.29亿美元。该续约合同比他目前在6月份有资格获得的金额多出8200万美元。
重新谈判和延长的选项可能毫无意义。如果杰克逊被评为年度最佳防守球员或入选NBA最佳阵容，他将有资格签署一份为期五年、价值3.45亿美元的超级顶薪续约合同。
什么让8月2日如此重要？
在2025年自由球员市场开始近一个月后，所有人的目光都将转向东契奇和湖人队。由于被交易，东契奇没有资格签署为期五年、价值3.45亿美元的超级顶薪续约合同，他只能与湖人队签署一份为期四年、价值2.29亿美元的续约合同，但必须在8月2日之后。
为了弥补被交易造成的经济损失，东契奇最好签署一份为期三年、价值1.65亿美元的续约合同——并在2027-28赛季拥有球员选项。东契奇将在2028年休赛期有资格签署一份为期五年、价值4.18亿美元的合同。
预计湖人队总经理罗勃·佩林卡(Rob Pelinka)将继续采取积极的策略来增加球队的阵容。
“我们知道我们的阵容还有继续完善的空间，”佩林卡本月早些时候表示。“我们将组建一支符合[教练]JJ·雷迪克篮球理念的阵容。”
湖人队在休赛期没有薪资空间，但拥有7000万美元的到期合同、一个首轮选秀权（2031年或2032年）以及在2030年互换首轮选秀权的权利。
马刺队会为维克托·文班亚马获得更多帮助吗？
马刺队加速了围绕文班亚马的重建，在交易截止日交易得到了前全明星德阿隆·福克斯。文班亚马在交易后表示：“这表明他们不想浪费时间，他们愿意按时迈出下一步。我们正在前进。我认为这是构建我们未来的良好一步。”
圣安东尼奥进入休赛期的问题：下一步是什么？
马刺队在六月份可能拥有两个乐透区选秀权（他们自己的和亚特兰大的），可以保留或用于交易。福克斯将在8月3日签署一份为期四年、价值2.29亿美元的续约合同，马刺队也可以利用可用的薪资空间重新谈判他下赛季的薪水。
交易福克斯花费了圣安东尼奥三个首轮选秀权，但没有耗尽他们围绕文班亚马（斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)， 杰里米·索汉(Jeremy Sochan)， 凯尔登·约翰逊(Keldon Johnson)和德文·瓦塞尔(Devin Vassell)）的年轻核心，也没有耗尽未来的选秀权。马刺队有权在2026年与亚特兰大互换首轮选秀权，在2027年获得老鹰队一个不受保护的首轮选秀权，以及多个未来的首轮选秀权互换权。
是否有我们应该关注的合同中的球员？
在对凯文·杜兰特未来的关注转移之前，太阳队有两个月的喘息时间，杜兰特是交易截止日期间交易猜测的主题，并且将进入他合同的最后一年。
杜兰特本月早些时候表示：“联盟中的人们希望我为他们效力，这并不是一件坏事。我所在的组织正在抵御人们，以让我留在球队，甚至将我放在交易中，这并不是一件坏事。这是高需求的表现。”
从NBA总决赛结束后的第一天开始，这位36岁的球员可以与太阳队达成一份为期两年、价值1.24亿美元的续约合同。
菲尼克斯目前在西部排名前十之外，并且已经承诺在下赛季向杜兰特、德文·布克和布拉德利·比尔(Bradley Beal)支付1.61亿美元的薪水。如果阵容保持不变，太阳队可能会在薪水和奢侈税罚款上花费近4.5亿美元。他们再次成为第二层奢侈税球队，并将面临与今年相同的限制。
除了杜兰特之外，还要密切关注特雷·杨和老鹰队之间的合同谈判。杨在本赛季之后还剩下两年合同，如果他拒绝执行他的球员选项，他将在2026年成为自由球员。这位四次入选全明星的球员有资格在休赛期签署一份为期四年、价值2.29亿美元的续约合同。
有哪些新的CBA规则可能会影响休赛期？
惩罚性的奢侈税规则仍然存在，但将会增加两条新的规则，进一步限制过度支出。
在2024-25赛季超过第二层奢侈税的球队，其2032年的首轮选秀权将被冻结且无法交易。目前的球队包括波士顿、明尼苏达和菲尼克斯。
对于重复奢侈税球队（连续四年或五年中的四年）以及支出超过奢侈税门槛1140万美元的球队，也将增加处罚。例如，凯尔特人队和太阳队今年的奢侈税账单可能会从2.05亿美元增加到明年的4亿美元以上。
点击查看原文：NBA offseason questions - Futures of Durant, Kyrie, Trae could be decided
NBA offseason questions - Futures of Durant, Kyrie, Trae could be decided
Whether a team is an NBA Finals contender or bound to be a lottery team for June’s draft, the topic of free agency now looms with less than two months left in the regular season.
And after the wild week leading up to this season’s trade deadline, should we expect as much drama when teams can begin negotiating with upcoming free agents on June 30?
That might be tough, but after witnessing those league-altering trades, some big names could shake up the summer. LeBron James, James Harden and Kyrie Irving are among the stars eligible to enter free agency – but are new deals with their current teams more realistic?
As for teams with money to spend? Well, it’s also a pretty short list: the Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls, Detroit Pistons and Memphis Grizzlies are the only teams currently under the salary cap.
Which players and teams will enter the mix between now and the offseason? What new salary cap restrictions will hit teams the hardest?
Yes, it’s only February. But we’re already looking at the storylines that will dominate June, July and August. Here’s what to watch this summer during the next free agency and trade season, including next steps for LeBron, Luka Doncic, Kevin Durant and Victor Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs.
Jump to a section:\
**Who has leverage? | FAs to watch\
Supermax-eligible players to watch\
Which teams control the summer?\
Will extensions dominate the summer?\
Small move with big summer implications\
Why Aug. 2 is a major day in Lakerland\
Will Spurs add more pieces around Wemby?\
More CBA restrictions?! Two rules to watch**
Which NBA free agents will have the most leverage this summer?
If you asked team executives three years ago, the answer surely would not have been Kyrie Irving.
That was in the 2022 offseason, when the free agent market was nonexistent for Irving after a tumultuous season with the Brooklyn Nets. The guard would opt-in to his contract with the Nets, get suspended eight games for conduct detrimental to the team and eventually get traded to the Dallas Mavericks at the 2023 deadline.
Now, executives polled for this story unanimously consider Irving the player who has the most leverage heading into the 2025 offseason.
One of the biggest reasons: his $43 million player option for 2025-26, which, if declined, will send Irving into free agency for the third time in his career.
While Irving continues to play at an All-NBA level, executives pointed to the recent Luka Doncic trade and comments made by Maverick general manager Nico Harrison as to why Irving is in position to score a lucrative contract.
“He fits our time frame,” Harrison said, referring to the addition of big man Anthony Davis. “If you pair him with Kyrie [Irving] and the rest of the guys, he fits right along with our time frame to win now and win in the future. And the future to me is three, four years from now.”
That timeline exists only if Irving signs a new contract. The 32-year-old is eligible for a five-year, $313 million contract if the option for next season is declined, but the most logical option is a three-year, $176 million max contract that lines up with the remainder of Davis’ deal.
Irving’s former teammate, LeBron James, can also become a free agent this summer. The 40-year-old has a $52.6 million player option for 2025-26 and would be eligible to sign a three-year, $175 million contract with the Lakers if the option is declined. He would remain eligible to include a no-trade clause in his next contract.
His future with the Lakers was recently questioned after the Doncic trade.
“If I had concerns about it, I’d waive my no-trade clause and get up out of here,” James said. “I’m here right now. I’m here right now. I’m committed to the Lakers organization.”
What other free agents should we be watching?
At one time, the 2025 free agent class boasted Davis, Jayson Tatum, Jimmy Butler, Donovan Mitchell, Damian Lillard, Lauri Markkanen, Rudy Gobert, Brandon Ingram and Jamal Murray.
Those nine players are now off the free agent board, having recently signed extensions.
Outside of headliners James and Irving, the next group of free agents could include James Harden, Fred VanVleet, Jonathan Kuminga, Myles Turner and Cam Thomas. Among those top names, Turner is the only free agent who does not have an option or is restricted.
All in all, here are the names to watch this summer:
Franchise level: LeBron James (player option)
All-Star level: Kyrie Irving (player) and James Harden (player)
Top-starter level: Fred VanVleet (team option), Julius Randle (player), Myles Turner, Josh Giddey (restricted free agency), Jonathan Kuminga (RFA), Cam Thomas (RFA)
Starter level: Clint Capela, D’Angelo Russell, Brook Lopez, Khris Middleton (player), Naz Reid (player), Kelly Oubre Jr. (player), Tyus Jones, Dorian Finney-Smith and John Collins (player)
Note: Brooklyn, Chicago, Detroit and Memphis are the only teams that project to have cap space in the offseason.
Now that Luka Doncic is ineligible, are there any supermax players to watch?
Barring the unexpected, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will sign the largest per average contract in NBA history this offseason. The four-year, $293 million extension the Oklahoma City Thunder guard is expected to sign comes with an average salary of $73 million per season.
Gilgeous-Alexander is eligible to sign a supermax extension because he was named All-NBA in 2023 and 2024. However, because he has two years remaining starting this summer, the extension is four additional seasons, not five.
Other players to watch include Memphis Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. and Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young. Both are supermax-eligible if either earns All-NBA or All-Defense. And, like Doncic, San Antonio Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox is ineligible because he was traded.
Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham and Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley could see their five-year, $224 million extensions increase to $269 million if either are named All-NBA or Defensive Player of the Year.
What team controls the offseason? How about a wild-card team?
The offseason leads through Brooklyn.
Not only are the Nets projected to have a league-high $60-plus million to sign free agents or acquire players in a trade, they also have four first-round picks in this year’s draft.
“You have to be poised and position yourself to be able to have that opportunity,” GM Sean Marks said in January. “We’re going to give ourselves the best chance to do that. Now, on whom and when, that’s TBD.”
In total, Brooklyn has 16 first-round picks in the next seven years – 13 are tradable. They also have 17 second-rounders.
In the West, Houston Rockets GM Rafael Stone held true to his word at the trade deadline, when he mentioned no changes were coming to th roster. After a year of evaluating, does that thinking change this offseason?
The Rockets do not have cap space like Brooklyn but have the draft assets and contracts to make a big move in the offseason. Houston has a potential lottery pick from the Phoenix Suns this year along with their first-round picks unprotected in 2027 and 2029. The Rockets can also swap first-rounders with Brooklyn in 2027, plus they own the Dallas Mavericks’ 2029 first-rounder unprotected.
As for the current roster, Houston has a mix of veterans (Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks) and former first-round picks on rookie contracts (Jabari Smith Jr., Amen Thompson, Reed Sheppard, Cam Whitmore). Smith is rookie-extension eligible starting on the first day after the NBA Finals conclude, while the poison pill restrictions for All-Star Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green get lifted on July 1.
Will extensions once again dominate the offseason? What about for the 2022 rookie class?
Expect the trend of players bypassing free agency to continue. Since the 2023 offseason, 67 players have signed veteran and rookie extensions. That increase is a product of the current collective bargaining agreement that allows players to sign for more money before entering free agency.
The veteran players eligible this offseason include Doncic, Young, Fox, Jackson, Nikola Jokic, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Karl-Anthony Towns, Darius Garland, Ja Morant, Tyler Herro, Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum and Kristaps Porzingis.
Jokic and Towns have three years left on supermax extensions signed in 2022. If they decline the $62.8 million player option in 2027-28, each player would then be allowed to extend for three years, $212 million.
For Oklahoma City, the price tag to keep the roster intact is set to get expensive. Including the likely $293 million supermax extension for Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder could hand out an additional $592 million in combined extensions to Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams.
Holmgren, Williams and 2023 Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero are eligible to sign five-year, $246 million extensions. (Banchero could become the first Orlando Magic player to sign a rookie max extension since Dwight Howard in 2007.) Those extensions could increase to $296 million if All-NBA, MVP or Defensive Player of the Year honors are negotiated into the contracts.
Other notable rookie extension candidates include Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray, Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr., Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin, Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler and Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic.
What under-the-radar move at the deadline could impact the offseason?
Memphis GM Zach Kleiman was up front about acquiring Marcus Smart from the Boston Celtics in 2023 and then trading him to the Washington Wizards at the February deadline.
“We made a move that so far to date, hadn’t worked,” Kleiman said. “I’d much rather own that myself. That starts with me. You cut your losses on a move, and we put ourselves in the best position to build the team going forward.”
The trade has future financial implications because it saved the Grizzlies $21.6 million next season, allowing them greater financial flexibility to renegotiate and then extend Jackson.
The renegotiation option would allow Memphis to increase the $23.3 million salary of Jackson in 2025-26 to $36.5 million and then extend for an additional four years, $229 million. The extension is $82 million more than what he is currently eligible for in June.
The renegotiate and extend option could be moot. If Jackson is named Defensive Player of the Year or to an All-NBA team, he would become eligible to sign a five-year, $345 million supermax extension.
What makes Aug. 2 so important?
Nearly a month after 2025 free agency begins, all eyes will shift toward Doncic and the Lakers. Ineligible to sign a five-year, $345 million supermax extension because he was traded, Doncic is allowed to sign up to a four-year, $229 million extension with the Lakers, but not until Aug. 2
To recoup the money lost when he was traded, Doncic would be better served financially to sign a three-year, $165 million extension – with a player option in 2027-28. Doncic would then be eligible to sign a five-year, $418 million contract in the 2028 offseason.
Expect Lakers GM Rob Pelinka to continue taking an aggressive approach in adding to the roster.
“We know that our roster has continued work to do to be complete,” Pelinka said earlier this month. “We’re going to build a roster that fits [coach] JJ Redick’s basketball philosophy.”
The Lakers do not have cap space in the offseason but have $70 million in expiring contracts, one first-round pick (2031 or 2032) and the right to swap first-rounders in 2030.
Will the Spurs acquire more help for Victor Wembanyama?
The Spurs accelerated their rebuild around Wembanyama, trading for former All-Star De’Aaron Fox at the deadline. “It just shows that they’re not here to waste time and they’re willing to take the next step on time. We’re moving forward. I think it’s a good step in the building of our future”, Wembanyama said after the trade.
The question for San Antonio heading into the offseason: What’s next?
The Spurs have potentially two lottery picks in June (their own and Atlanta’s) to keep or use in a trade. Fox is to sign a four-year, $229 million extension on Aug. 3, and the Spurs are also allowed to renegotiate his salary for next season with available cap space.
The trade for Fox cost San Antonio three first-round picks but has not depleted their young core around to Wembanyama (Stephon Castle, Jeremy Sochan, Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell) nor future draft picks. The Spurs have the right to swap first-round picks with Atlanta in 2026, an unprotected first from the Hawks in 2027 and multiple future first-round swaps.
Is there a player under contract that we should watch?
The Suns have a two-month reprieve before the attention shifts to the future of Kevin Durant, who was the subject of trade speculation at the deadline and is set to enter the last year of his contract.
“It’s not a bad thing that people around the league want me to play for them,” Durant said earlier this month. “It’s not a bad thing my organization here is fighting off people to keep me on the team or even dangle me in a trade. It’s part of being in high demand.”
Starting on the first day after the NBA Finals, the 36-year-old can agree to a two-year, $124 million extension with the Suns.
Phoenix currently sits on the outside of the top 10 in the West and have $161 million committed in salary next season to Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal. If the roster stays intact, the Suns could spend nearly $450 million in salary plus tax penalties. They are again a second-apron team and will face the same restrictions as this year.
Besides Durant, keep an eye on contract negotiations between Trae Young and the Hawks. Young has two years left on his contract after this season and can be a free agent in 2026 if he declines his player option. The four-time All-Star is eligible to sign a four-year, $229 million extension in the offseason.
What new CBA rules could impact the offseason?
The punitive apron rules remain but will be joined by two new rules that further restrict excessive spending.
Teams that finish over the second apron in 2024-25 will have their first-round pick in 2032 frozen and unable to be traded. Current teams include Boston, Minnesota and Phoenix.
There will also be an increased penalty for repeater tax teams (four years in a row or four out of five seasons) and for teams spending more than $11.4 million over the tax threshold. For example, the Celtics’ and Suns’ tax bills this year could increase from $205 million to more than $400 million next year.
By Bobby Marks | ESPN, via ESPN