By Bobby Marks, 2026-07-11 07:58:00
编者注：本文已更新，加入了维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 签下五年顶薪提前续约合同的内容。
距离NBA选秀已经过去三个多星期，休赛期的大部分重磅交易与签约也已尘埃落定。
从艾杰·迪班萨 (AJ Dybantsa)、达林·彼得森 (Darryn Peterson)、卡梅隆·布泽尔 (Cameron Boozer) 和凯莱布·威尔逊 (Caleb Wilson) 在选秀前列被选中，到扬尼斯·阿德托昆博 (Giannis Antetokounmpo)、杰伦·布朗 (Jaylen Brown) 和拉梅洛·鲍尔 (LaMelo Ball) 等大牌球星通过交易改换门庭，过去几周的NBA可谓风起云涌。
但一切尚未结束。以下是2026年NBA休赛期最受瞩目的几大悬而未决的看点，从勒布朗·詹姆斯 (LeBron James) 的未来，到潜在的联盟扩军：
詹姆斯如何影响了自由市场？
詹姆斯决定离开洛杉矶湖人队，这让整个自由市场的节奏陷入了停滞。
尽管阿德托昆博和布朗的交易已经完成，湖人也通过签约球员用掉了薪金空间，但仍有一些球队在等待詹姆斯做出决定，随后才会填满他们的阵容名单。
例如，克利夫兰、丹佛、金州、迈阿密、明尼苏达和费城——这些对这位四届NBA总冠军得主兼四届常规赛MVP感兴趣的球队——都至少留有两个阵容空席。掘金和勇士两队合计更是有八个名额空缺。
等待詹姆斯的拉锯战也让德雷蒙德·格林 (Draymond Green) 和詹姆斯·哈登 (James Harden) 的签约工作处于搁置状态。外界普遍预计这两位球员将分别重返金州和克利夫兰，但詹姆斯的决定可能会影响他们新合同第一年的薪水。在不计入格林和哈登新合同的情况下，两支球队目前距离第二土豪线都还有近3900万美元的空间。
让詹姆斯的自由球员前景变得有趣的是，各支球队在财务上能提供的竞争条件几乎处于同等水平。
掘金、76人和森林狼都拥有390万美元的老将底薪特例。与此同时，热火可以向詹姆斯提供其非税中产特例中的600万美元。除非进行交易，否则格林和哈登需要做出经济上的牺牲，金州和克利夫兰才能提供高于老将底薪的合同。
詹姆斯的长期经纪人里奇·保罗 (Rich Paul) 在他的“Game Over”播客节目中表示，幸福感而非金钱，将是詹姆斯做出选择的驱动力。
“如果是为了幸福，因为如果是为了赚最多的钱，那不一定能带来最大的幸福，”保罗说道。
目前还没有詹姆斯何时决定加盟下一支球队的时间表。
“在这个过程中，我对勒布朗说，‘你真的必须深思熟虑，’”保罗说。“七月份一切看起来都很美好。纸面上的一切都很完美。但你必须对此非常小心。”
除去詹姆斯，市场上最好的完全自由球员还有谁？
如果不把哈登或格林计算在内，答案是一个在自由市场开启时仍有合同在身的球员：德马尔·德罗赞 (DeMar DeRozan)。
尽管德罗赞上赛季场均贡献18.4分，投篮命中率接近50%，但他还是成为了萨克拉门托薪金压力下的牺牲品。他将在今年8月满37岁，并且已经连续五个赛季至少出战74场比赛。
其他值得关注的完全自由球员还包括布拉德利·比尔 (Bradley Beal)、布鲁斯·布朗 (Bruce Brown)、拉塞尔·威斯布鲁克 (Russell Westbrook)、乔纳森·库明加 (Jonathan Kuminga)、马蒂斯·塞布尔 (Matisse Thybulle)、凯利·奥利尼克 (Kelly Olynyk)、尼克·理查兹 (Nick Richards) 以及德鲁·尤班克斯 (Drew Eubanks)。
正如ESPN记者安东尼·斯莱特 (Anthony Slater) 最近报道的那样，湖人总经理罗伯·佩林卡 (Rob Pelinka) 和主教练JJ·雷迪克 (JJ Redick) 与库明加进行了视频会面，向他推介了在卢卡·东契奇 (Luka Doncic) 身边打球的角色定位。
湖人在自由市场上用光了所有的薪金空间，目前仅剩280万美元的老将底薪特例。然而，由于库明加并没有被亚特兰大裁掉——只是他的球队选项未被执行——湖人可以尝试与亚特兰大达成先签后换，从而给他提供更多的薪水。
不过，在进行先签后换时，存在一些复杂的制约因素。
首先是老鹰是否愿意接手贾里德·范德比尔特 (Jarred Vanderbilt) 甚至达尔顿·克内克特 (Dalton Knecht) 的合同。范德比尔特的合同还剩两年2700万美元。新引进的杰登·哈迪 (Jaden Hardy) 可以在另一笔交易中进行打包，因为湖人是用薪金空间签下他的。除了2032年的互换权外，湖人没有任何可用于交易的首轮签。不过，他们确实拥有三个次轮签。
第二个复杂因素是，先签后换将要求库明加至少签约三个赛季，且这三年内不能包含球员或球队选项。
受限制自由球员杰伦·杜伦和佩顿·沃森的情况如何？
在6月30日自由市场开启之前，包括杰伦·杜伦 (Jalen Duren)、佩顿·沃森 (Peyton Watson)、沃克·凯斯勒 (Walker Kessler)、塔里·伊森 (Tari Eason) 和贝内迪克特·马图林 (Bennedict Mathurin) 在内的29名球员收到了为期一年的资质报价。
自那以后，包括伊森和凯斯勒在内的17名受限制自由球员，要么与母队续约，要么加盟了新球队。其中，凯斯勒通过与洛杉矶的先签后换改换门庭，而昆汀·波斯特 (Quinten Post) 则是因为孟菲斯开出报价合同且母队未匹配而离队。
与此同时，杜伦和沃森需要做出决定：是在下一份合同上做出妥协，还是将自由球员身份拖延整个夏天，以期在临近训练营时获得更丰厚的报价，亦或是探索先签后换的选择。当然，他们也可以选择签下为期一年的资质报价，并在明年夏天成为完全自由球员。
底特律活塞和丹佛掘金在财务状况上处于完全不同的境地。
底特律通过交易艾赛亚·斯图尔特 (Isaiah Stewart)、卡里斯·勒维尔 (Caris LeVert) 和马库斯·萨瑟 (Marcus Sasser) 清理了薪金空间。活塞目前距离奢侈税线还有4800万美元的空间，他们可以给杜伦提供一份接近顶薪的合同，同时依然保持在税线以下。
掘金则已经超过了奢侈税线和第一土豪线，距离第二土豪线仅剩740万美元。
由于他们预计将在五个赛季中第四次缴纳奢侈税，因此他们被视为超级奢侈税（重复征税）球队，将面临更高的罚款。
即使将欠尤纳斯·瓦兰丘纳斯 (Jonas Valanciunas) 的200万美元薪水裁掉并在未来三个赛季进行延期支付，丹佛的税单也可能达到近2亿美元。这已经将沃森约2500万美元的起薪以及其余阵容名额的老将特例计算在内。
除非沃森获得提前续约，否则他那份650万美元的资质报价将于10月1日到期。
针对Aspiration的调查是否有望解决？
联盟总裁亚当·肖华 (Adam Silver) 在总决赛第一场开打前表示，希望针对科怀·莱昂纳德 (Kawhi Leonard) 与Aspiration的交易是否构成规避工资帽的调查能尽快结束。
“我认为我们现在已经接近需要结束这件事的节点了，因为你也需要一个最终定论，”肖华说。“他们的球队必须了解他们将在何种情况下运营，其他29支球队也是如此。”
这项调查目前已经影响到了此前已达成一致的、将莱昂纳德送往猛龙的交易。
6月30日，洛杉矶快船最初将莱昂纳德交易至多伦多，换回布兰登·英格拉姆 (Brandon Ingram)、格雷迪·迪克 (Gradey Dick)、两个无保护首轮签（2031年和2033年）、一个2027年首轮互换权以及两个次轮签。
该交易原定于7月6日交易冻结期结束后正式完成。
两支球队在周四发表声明称，只有在猛龙所有者集团承担与莱昂纳德合同相关的处罚风险（理论上可能源于正在进行的调查）的情况下，交易才能最终敲定。因此，在NBA对快船的调查结束之前，这笔交易不会正式完成。
如果快船被认定有任何违规行为，他们未来的阵容构建可能会变得困难重重。处罚可能包括没收选秀权、巨额罚款以及对包括老板史蒂夫·鲍尔默 (Steve Ballmer) 在内的球队高管进行停职。
目前还没有NBA这项由外部法律顾问进行的调查结束的具体时间表，但一位NBA发言人在周四告诉ESPN，联盟预计该事务所“将在未来几周内完成其工作”。
在多诺万·米切尔续约后，下一位长期留守的入选全明星球员会是谁？
多诺万·米切尔 (Donovan Mitchell) 的续约延续了球员们宁愿牺牲自由球员身份、也要优先锁定保障性资金的趋势。
这位入选最佳阵容的后卫与克利夫兰签下了一份为期四年、价值2.73亿美元的提前续约合同。如果他等到明年夏天，报价在五个赛季中可能会达到3.6亿美元。
自本期劳资协议（CBA）于2023年休赛期生效以来，已有66名球员延长了合同。续约合同的总薪水达到了创纪录的65亿美元。
莱昂纳德可能是下一位签署提前续约合同的全明星球员。
正如ESPN记者萨姆斯·查拉尼亚 (Shams Charania) 报道的那样，一旦来自快船的交易正式敲定，多伦多和莱昂纳德预计将开启提前续约谈判。莱昂纳德目前的合同还剩一年，他有资格签署一份最高为期两年、价值1.24亿美元的提前续约合同。
其他有资格获得提前续约的著名球员包括卡尔-安东尼·唐斯 (Karl-Anthony Towns)、斯蒂芬·库里 (Stephen Curry)（自8月29日起）、安东尼·戴维斯 (Anthony Davis)（自8月6日起）、杰伦·布朗（自7月26日起）、帕斯卡尔·西亚卡姆 (Pascal Siakam)、迈尔斯·布里奇斯 (Miles Bridges) 和狄龙·布鲁克斯 (Dillon Brooks)。
由于阿德托昆博被交易，他必须等到1月6日才能与迈阿密签署一份为期三年或四年的顶薪提前续约合同。
尽管骑士在米切尔身上得到了保障，但在尼古拉·约基奇 (Nikola Jokic) 的问题上，丹佛可能需要等待。
“我的想法和愿望是留在丹佛。我可能会在明年签约，”约基奇在周一的一场FIBA世界杯预选赛后用塞尔维亚语告诉记者。“我的愿望是在丹佛度过我的余下职业生涯。”
约基奇的合同还剩两个赛季（最后一年为球员选项），自6月14日起，他就有资格谈判一份为期四年、价值2.78亿美元的顶薪提前续约合同。但如果等到明年休赛期，约基奇将有资格签署一份为期五年、价值3.595亿美元的合同。这将是NBA历史上最大的一笔合同，并使他职业生涯的赛场总收入达到7.24亿美元。
那么新秀提前续约候选人的情况如何？
维克托·文班亚马周五与圣安东尼奥马刺队签下了一份五年2.52亿美元的顶薪合同，成为首位签约的球员。
2023届新秀中还有另外22名球员有资格在10月休赛期最后一天之前完成提前续约，其中包括阿门·汤普森 (Amen Thompson)、奥萨尔·汤普森 (Ausar Thompson) 和布兰登·米勒 (Brandon Miller)。
由于新合同中没有包含浮动奖金条款，文班亚马的合同成为NBA历史上第三大新秀提前续约合同，仅次于底特律活塞队的凯德·康宁汉姆 (Cade Cunningham) 和克利夫兰骑士队的埃文·莫布里 (Evan Mobley)，后两者的五年期提前续约合同价值均为2.69亿美元。
消息人士透露，在与马刺队探讨了多种合同框架后，文班亚马决定接受25%的顶薪，而不是可能达到3.03亿美元的30%超级顶薪浮动条款。据消息人士透露，圣安东尼奥方面与文班亚马及其经纪团队密切合作，提供了全额超级顶薪以及不同形式的提前续约方案。但文班亚马选择在合同上做出牺牲，旨在为自己和球队提供更大的空间，以便围绕他打造一支具有持续竞争力的争冠球队。
劳资协议的一项改变允许球员在不签署顶薪合同的情况下也能提前续约五个赛季，这导致了提前续约人数和总金额的增加。
在文班亚马签下新合同之前，自2023年休赛期以来，已有34名球员签下了新秀提前续约合同，总金额达45亿美元。
其他值得关注的新秀提前续约候选人包括：凯森·华莱士 (Cason Wallace)、安东尼·布莱克 (Anthony Black)、斯库特·亨德森 (Scoot Henderson)、基扬特·乔治 (Keyonte George)、布兰登·波杰姆斯基 (Brandin Podziemski)、小哈梅·哈克斯 (Jaime Jaquez Jr.) 以及德里克·莱夫利二世 (Dereck Lively II)。
哪些球队在阵容构建上仍有工作要做？
裁掉德罗赞表明了在现行劳资协议下，各支球队必须如何平衡其财务状况。如果不裁掉德罗赞，萨克拉门托将无法使用550万美元的双年特例签下普雷舍斯·阿丘瓦 (Precious Achiuwa)。
随着萨克拉门托避开了第二土豪线并脱离了奢侈税区，焦点转移到了猛龙身上。
当莱昂纳德的交易正式生效时，多伦多距离第一土豪线硬工资帽将仅剩230万美元，且还有两个阵容空席。而老将底薪特例为240万美元，且猛龙在常规赛期间被禁止连续28天以上使阵容人数少于14人。
涉及孟菲斯的六方交易目前让灰熊的阵容人数达到了上限的20人。但3号秀布泽尔和卡里姆·洛佩兹 (Karim Lopez) 仍未签约，且孟菲斯尚未敲定与底特律关于斯图尔特的交易。
休赛期允许的最大阵容人数为21人。
哪些球队还有阵容空席和可用资金？
现行的劳资协议继续向我们证明，保留原有阵容是首要任务。
在目前有合同在身的421名球员中（不包括双向合同球员），有315人在2025-26赛季结束时就在他们目前的球队中。总共只有29名球员在自由市场中改换门庭，另有40名球员通过交易换队。
各支球队在自由市场或提前续约中优先考虑自家球员，导致了阵容空缺的匮乏，进而使得可用资金变少。
目前没有球队拥有薪金空间，而大多数拥有多个阵容空席的球队也仅剩老将底薪特例。
谁是下一支受到土豪线规则影响的球队？
土豪线限制继续成为人们热议的话题，纽约尼克斯老板詹姆斯·多兰 (James Dolan) 在总决赛后的言论便证明了这一点。
“我不知道我们是否能够做到，”多兰告诉WFAN。“我们愿意尽力而为，但在NBA有些事情你做了无异于自杀。其中之一就是触碰第二土豪线。”
尼克斯避免了进入第二土豪线，同时成功保留了夺得NBA总冠军的先发五虎，以及替补球员乔丹·克拉克森 (Jordan Clarkson)、麦尔斯·麦克布莱德 (Miles McBride)、何塞·阿尔瓦拉多 (Jose Alvarado)、兰德里·沙梅特 (Landry Shamet) 和穆罕默德·迪亚瓦拉 (Mohamed Diawara)。米切尔·罗宾逊 (Mitchell Robinson) 签约波士顿，其位置被合同更便宜的安东烈·德拉蒙德 (Andre Drummond) 取代。
今年夏天唐斯和乔什·哈特 (Josh Hart) 潜在的提前续约，以及明年休赛期杰伦·布伦森 (Jalen Brunson) 的续约，将在未来几个赛季考验纽约在应对第二土豪线方面的能力。
唐斯有资格在今年休赛期签署一份为期四年、价值2.72亿美元的提前续约合同。与此同时，布伦森可以在次年提前续约四年2.54亿美元。如果他选择等待并在2028年成为自由球员，届时他将有资格签署一份为期五年、价值3.71亿美元的合同。
俄克拉荷马城雷霆成功将他们的预计总薪资从5.57亿美元缩减至3.6亿美元，同时依然保留了在过去两个常规赛中取得132胜32负战绩并在2025年夺得NBA总冠军的轮换阵容。他们还补充了首轮秀阿代·马拉 (Aday Mara) 和贝内特·斯蒂尔茨 (Bennett Stirtz)，并在两笔独立的交易中获得了四个次轮签。
他们是本赛季唯一一支超过第二土豪线的球队，并且预计下赛季仍将超过。
华莱士有资格签署新秀提前续约合同，而谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大 (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) 的超级顶薪提前续约合同第一年将于2027-28赛季开始生效。
除非进行交易，否则丹佛很可能会加入俄克拉荷马城的行列，成为另一支超过第二土豪线的球队。在不计入受限制自由球员沃森的情况下，掘金已经超出了该门槛740万美元，且还有五个阵容空席。
我们会在这个休赛期了解到更多关于扩军的消息吗？
预计在下周于拉斯维加斯举行的NBA董事会会议上，NBA在本土及海外的扩军都将成为讨论的话题。
正如3月下旬报道的那样，董事会通过了一项投票，允许联盟专门在拉斯维加斯和西雅图探索扩军球队的竞标和申请者。
“所以，如果我们扩军，我们至少在考虑[2028-29赛季的NBA]，”肖华在6月下旬表示。“目前我们唯一关注的两个城市是拉斯维加斯和西雅图。我们还没有对此进行投票。这并非板上钉钉的事。但我们正在与有兴趣在这两个城市获得扩军球队的财团进行沟通。”
至于海外扩张，联盟副总裁马克·塔图姆 (Mark Tatum) 告诉CNBC，新的欧洲联赛仍有望在2027年10月首次亮相。
“我们的时间表非常非常紧凑，”塔图姆说。“我们将在合适的城市寻找合适的合作伙伴，并且我们会花足够的时间来确定这些合适的合作伙伴。我们不仅在与篮球生态系统中的现有球队进行交谈，还在与目前没有篮球队但对此感兴趣的足球俱乐部进行沟通，同时我们也在与没有篮球队但希望投资篮球队的个人和其他实体进行接触。”
由生成式 AI 翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
查看原文：NBA offseason, free agency, trade market: Top unresolved storylines
NBA offseason, free agency, trade market: Top unresolved storylines
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include Victor Wembanyama’s five-year max extension.
We’re now more than three weeks past the NBA draft, and most of the big moves of the offseason have already happened.
From AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson being picked at the top of the draft, to Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jaylen Brown and LaMelo Ball among the big-name players changing teams via trade, it has been an eventful few weeks across the NBA.
But it’s not over just yet. Here are the biggest unresolved storylines of the 2026 NBA offseason, starting with the future of LeBron James and ending with potential expansion:
How has James impacted free agency?
James’ decision to leave the Los Angeles Lakers has put things in a holding pattern.
Though the trades of Antetokounmpo and Brown have been completed and the Lakers signed players to use their cap space, some teams are waiting on James’ decision before they fill out their rosters.
For example, Cleveland, Denver, Golden State, Miami, Minnesota and Philadelphia – teams interested in the four-time NBA champion and four-time MVP – have at least two roster spots available. The Nuggets and Warriors have a combined eight openings.
The waiting game for James has also put the signings of Draymond Green and James Harden on hold. Both players are expected to return to Golden State and Cleveland, respectively, but James’ decision could impact their first-year salary. Not including a new contract for Green and Harden, both teams are nearly $39 million below the second apron.
What makes James’ free agency interesting is the near-equal playing field each team can offer financially.
The Nuggets, 76ers and Timberwolves all have the $3.9 million veterans minimum exception. Meanwhile, Miami could offer James $6 million of its non tax midlevel exception. Barring a trade, Green and Harden would need to sacrifice financially for Golden State and Cleveland to offer more than the veterans minimum.
Rich Paul, James’ longtime agent, said on his “Game Over” podcast that happiness, not money, will be James’ driving motive.
“If it’s about happiness, because if it’s the most money, then it’s not necessarily the most happiness,” Paul said.
There is no timeline for when James will make a decision on his next team.
“As you’re going through this process, I’m saying to LeBron, ‘You really have to think this through,’” Paul said. “Everything looks great in July. Everything looks great on paper. But you got to be very careful with that.”
After James, who are the best unrestricted free agents available?
Not factoring in Harden or Green, the answer is a player that was under contract when free agency started: DeMar DeRozan.
DeRozan became a financial casualty in Sacramento despite averaging 18.4 points and shooting nearly 50% from the field last season. He turns 37 in August and has played in at least 74 games in five straight seasons.
Other notable unrestricted free agents include Bradley Beal, Bruce Brown, Russell Westbrook, Jonathan Kuminga, Matisse Thybulle, Kelly Olynyk, Nick Richards and Drew Eubanks.
As ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported recently, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka and coach JJ Redick met with Kuminga virtually to pitch him on a role next to Luka Doncic.
The Lakers used all of their cap space in free agency and have only the $2.8 million veterans minimum exception. However, because Kuminga was not waived by Atlanta – his team option was not exercised – the Lakers could try to orchestrate a sign-and-trade with Atlanta to give him more money.
There are complicating factors when it comes to a sign-and-trade.
The first is whether the Hawks would be willing to take back the contracts of Jarred Vanderbilt and perhaps Dalton Knecht. Vanderbilt has two years and $27 million remaining on his contract. Newly acquired Jaden Hardy can be aggregated in another trade because the Lakers acquired him with cap space. The Lakers have no tradeable first-round picks, except for a swap in 2032. They do have three second-rounders.
The second complicating factor is that a sign-and-trade would require Kuminga to commit a minimum of three seasons, not including a player or team option.
What about restricted free agents Jalen Duren and Peyton Watson?
Before free agency started on June 30, 29 players including Duren, Watson, Walker Kessler, Tari Eason and Bennedict Mathurin were tendered a one-year qualifying offer.
Since then, 17 restricted free agents, including Eason and Kessler, have either signed contracts with their current team or signed with a new team. Kessler and Quinten Post changed teams through a a sign-and-trade with Los Angeles and an unmatched offer sheet by Memphis, respectively.
Duren and Watson, meanwhile, have a decision to make about whether to compromise on their next contract, prolong free agency throughout the summer with the goal of getting a more lucrative offer closer to training camp or look to explore sign-and-trade options. There is also the scenario of them signing a one-year qualifying offer and becoming an unrestricted free agent next offseason.
The Detroit Pistons and Nuggets are on different spectrums when it comes to finances.
Detroit cleared out salary by trading Isaiah Stewart, Caris LeVert and Marcus Sasser. The Pistons are $48 million below the luxury tax and can offer Duren a near-max salary and still remain under the tax.
The Nuggets are over the luxury tax and first apron and are $7.4 million below the second apron.
Because they are projected to be in the luxury tax for a fourth time in five seasons, they are considered a repeater tax team and will pay a higher penalty.
Even with waiving-and-stretching the $2 million salary owed to Jonas Valanciunas over the next three seasons, Denver’s tax bill could stand at nearly $200 million. This takes into account Watson’s starting salary around $25 million and veterans exceptions for the remaining roster spots.
Unless Watson gets an extension, his $6.5 million qualifying offer expires on Oct. 1.
Is there a resolution in sight with the Aspiration investigation?
Commissioner Adam Silver said before Game 1 of the NBA Finals that there was hope the investigation into whether Kawhi Leonard’s deal with Aspiration constituted salary cap circumvention would be wrapped up soon.
“I think we’re close to the point now where I think we need to wrap this up because you also need finality,” Silver said. “Their team has to understand what the situation is they’re going to be operating under, and so do the other 29 teams.”
The investigation has now impacted the agreed-upon trade that would send Leonard to the Raptors.
Leonard was initially traded to Toronto on June 30 by the LA Clippers for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two unprotected first-round picks (2031 and 2033), a 2027 first-round swap and two second-round picks.
The trade was supposed to be finalized after the moratorium was lifted on July 6.
Both teams issued statements Thursday, saying the trade can only be finalized if the Raptors ownership group assumes the risk of penalties related to Leonard’s contract that could theoretically stem from the ongoing investigation. As a result, the trade will not be finalized until the NBA investigation into the Clippers is over.
If the Clippers are found guilty of any wrongdoing, building out their roster could be difficult. Penalties could include the loss of draft picks, significant fines and suspensions of team executives, including owner Steve Ballmer.
There is no timetable for the conclusion of the NBA’s probe, which is being performed by outside counsel, but an NBA spokesperson told ESPN on Thursday that the league expected the firm “to finalize its work in the coming weeks.”
After Donovan Mitchell extended, who will be the next All-Star to commit long term?
The Mitchell extension continues a trend of players prioritizing guaranteed money at the expense of free agency.
The All-NBA guard signed a four-year, $273 million extension with Cleveland. Had he waited until next summer, the offer could have reached $360 million over five seasons.
Since this collective bargaining agreement started in the 2023 offseason, 66 players have extended their contract. The total salaries equal a record $6.5 billion in extensions.
Leonard could be the next All-Star to sign an extension.
As ESPN’s Shams Charania reported, Toronto and Leonard are expected to start extension talks once the trade from the Clippers is finalized. Leonard has one year left on his current contract and is eligible to sign up to a two-year, $124 million extension.
Other notable players who are extension eligible include Karl-Anthony Towns, Stephen Curry (as of Aug. 29), Anthony Davis (as of Aug. 6), Jaylen Brown (as of July 26), Pascal Siakam, Miles Bridges and Dillon Brooks.
Because Antetokounmpo was traded, he must wait until Jan. 6 to sign a three- or four-year maximum extension with Miami.
Though the Cavaliers received assurances with Mitchell, Denver probably will need to wait when it comes to Nikola Jokic.
“My idea and desire is to stay in Denver. I’ll probably sign next year,” Jokic told reporters in Serbian following a FIBA World Cup qualifying game Monday. “My desire is to play the rest of my life in Denver.”
Jokic is under contract for two seasons (the last year is a player option) and has been eligible since June 14 to negotiate a four-year, $278 million max extension. But by waiting until next offseason, Jokic will be eligible to sign a five-year, $359.5 million contract. That would be the largest deal in NBA history and would see his career on-court earnings reach $724 million.
What about the rookie extension candidates?
Victor Wembanyama was the first to sign when he inked a five-year, $252 max deal with the San Antonio Spurs on Friday.
There are an additional 22 players in the Class of 2023 eligible to extend through the last day of the offseason in October, including Amen Thompson, Ausar Thompson and Brandon Miller.
With no escalators in his new contract, Wembanyama’s deal is the third-largest rookie extension in NBA history, behind the Detroit Pistons’ Cade Cunningham and the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Evan Mobley, who each have five-year extensions worth $269 million.
Wembanyama decided on the 25% maximum instead of the 30% supermax escalators to $303 million after he and the Spurs went through multiple frameworks, sources said. San Antonio worked in close partnership with Wembanyama and his representatives, offering the full super max and different variations of extensions, according to sources. But Wembanyama chose a contract sacrifice rooted in giving him and the organization increased ability to build a sustained title contender around him.
A change in the CBA allowing players to extend for five seasons despite not signing a maximum extension has seen an increase in extensions and total dollars.
Before Wembanyama’s new deal, there had been 34 players and a total of $4.5 billion committed in rookie extensions since the 2023 offseason.
Other notable rookie extension candidates: Cason Wallace, Anthony Black, Scoot Henderson, Keyonte George, Brandin Podziemski, Jaime Jaquez Jr and Dereck Lively II.
What teams still have work to do with their roster?
The DeRozan waiver was an indication of how teams have to balance their finances under the current CBA. If DeRozan was not waived, Sacramento would not have been allowed to sign Precious Achiuwa to the $5.5 million biannual exception.
With Sacramento dodging the second apron and now out of the luxury tax, the focus shifts to the Raptors.
When the Leonard trade becomes official, Toronto will be $2.3 million below the first apron hard cap with two roster spots available. The veterans minimum exception is $2.4 million and Toronto is not allowed to carry fewer than 14 players for a period of 28 days during the regular season.
The six-team trade involving Memphis now has the Grizzlies with the maximum 20 players on their roster. But No. 3 pick Cameron Boozer and Karim Lopez remain unsigned and Memphis has not finalized the trade for Stewart with Detroit.
The maximum players allowed in the offseason is 21.
Who are the teams with roster spots and money available?
The current CBA continues to teach us that roster retention is a priority.
Out of the 421 players currently under contract (not including two-ways), 315 were on their current roster at the end of the 2025-26 season. In total, only 29 players have switched teams in free agency and an additional 40 in trades.
Teams prioritizing their own players either in free agency or an extension have created a shortage of roster openings, leading to less money available.
There are no teams with cap space, and the majority of teams that do have multiple roster spots open have only the veterans minimum exception.
Who is the next team affected by the apron rules?
The apron restrictions continue to be a hot topic of discussion, evident by New York Knicks owner James Dolan’s comments after the NBA Finals.
“I don’t know if we’ll be able to,” Dolan told WFAN. “We’re willing to stretch, but there’s certain things in the NBA that you’d have to be suicidal to do. One of them is the second apron.”
The Knicks avoided entering the second apron while managing to return the same starting five that won an NBA championship and reserves Jordan Clarkson, Miles McBride, Jose Alvarado, Landry Shamet and Mohamed Diawara. Mitchell Robinson signed with Boston and was replaced by Andre Drummond on a less expensive contract.
Possible extensions for Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart this summer, as well as Jalen Brunson next offseason, will test New York as it relates to the second apron in future seasons.
Towns is eligible this offseason to sign a four-year, $272 million extension. Brunson, meanwhile, can extend for four years and $254 million the following year. If he waits and becomes a free agent in 2028, he would then be eligible to sign a five-year, $371 million contract.
The Oklahoma City Thunder managed to shrink their payroll from a projected $557 million to $360 million and still retained the rotation that went 132-32 in the past two regular seasons and won an NBA championship in 2025. They also added first-rounders Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz and picked up four second-round picks in two separate trades.
They are the only team over the second apron this season and projected to be over next season.
Cason Wallace is eligible to sign a rookie extension and the first year of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s supermax extension is set to begin in 2027-28.
Barring a trade, it is likely Denver joins Oklahoma City as a second apron team. Not including restricted free agent Peyton Watson, the Nuggets are $7.4 million above the threshold and have five roster spots open.
Will we learn more about expansion this offseason?
Expect expansion, both in the NBA and abroad, to be a topic of discussion at the NBA board of governors meeting in Las Vegas next week.
As reported in late March, the board of governors approved a vote for the league to explore bids and applicants for expansion teams exclusively in Las Vegas and Seattle.
“So, if we expand, at least we’re thinking [the 2028-29 NBA season],” Silver said in late June. “The only two cities, at the moment, we’re looking at are Las Vegas and Seattle. We haven’t had a vote on it. It’s not a foregone conclusion. But we’re in the process of talking to groups that are interested in getting an expansion team in those two cities.”
As for expansion overseas, deputy commissioner Mark Tatum told CNBC that the new European league remains on pace to debut in October 2027.
“We’re on a very, very quick timeline here,” Tatum said. “We’re going to identify the right partners in the right cities, and we’re going to take as much time as we need to identify those right partners. We’re not only talking about existing basketball teams in the ecosystem, but we’re talking to soccer teams that currently don’t have basketball teams that are interested, and we’re also talking to individuals and other entities who don’t have a basketball team but want to invest in a basketball team.”
By Bobby Marks, via ESPN