Trae, KAT, Luka and the NBA's biggest extension decisions

The NBA's 2025 escaped cause people was erstwhile billed arsenic historic.

Jayson Tatum, Jimmy Butler III, Donovan Mitchell, Lauri Markkanen, Jalen Brunson, Anthony Davis, Damian Lillard, Jamal Murray, Rudy Gobert, Aaron Gordon, Derrick White and Brandon Ingram, among different stars, were expected to go escaped agents this offseason.

Instead, changes to hold rules successful the 2017 and 2023 corporate bargaining agreements person incentivized each of those 12 players to not participate escaped agency, taking guaranteed wealth 1 twelvemonth early. Since the 2022 offseason, 65 veterans person extended their contracts, including 26 players past twelvemonth alone.

This offseason, much than 100 players, including the past 2 MVPs successful Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic, are eligible to extend.

Here's what to expect from 16 notable players who volition beryllium eligible for extensions, and what their futures successful the league could look like.

Supermax eligible

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder

Eligible to sign: July 6
Extension deadline: Oct. 20

Gilgeous-Alexander reached the supermax show criteria (All-NBA successful consecutive seasons) successful the 2024 offseason but had to hold until present due to the fact that helium didn't person 7 years of service.

Now eligible, expect the recently crowned MVP to articulation the elite radical of 13 players who person signed supermax contracts since 2017.

A four-year, $293.4 cardinal hold for Gilgeous-Alexander would beryllium unprecedented, arsenic the $73.3 cardinal mean would beryllium the highest successful NBA history. His $65.5 cardinal wage successful the archetypal twelvemonth would commencement successful 2027-28.

Because helium was named MVP, determination is besides the improbable script that Gilgeous-Alexander waits until the 2026 offseason to motion the extension. He would past beryllium allowed to adhd a 5th play and an further $86 cardinal to what helium is already eligible for this summer. The full magnitude of the hold would beryllium $379 million.

Gilgeous-Alexander led the league successful scoring astatine 32.7 points per crippled this play and had 71 consecutive 20-plus constituent games, the fourth-longest streak successful NBA history.

What to expect: Gilgeous-Alexander becomes the 14th subordinate successful league past to motion a supermax deal.

July hold candidates

Trae Young, Hawks

Eligible to sign: July 6
Extension deadline: June 30, 2026

How the Hawks grip talks with Young volition dictate however the roster is shaped successful aboriginal seasons. On the surface, Young deserves the four-year, $229 cardinal hold helium is eligible to sign. The $51 cardinal wage successful 2026-27 would regenerate his $48.9 cardinal subordinate option. Young averaged a league-high 11.6 assists this season, the astir since Russell Westbrook successful 2020-21. Young's 200 assists successful 4th quarters were the astir since John Stockton successful 1996-97.

The counterargument to a caller declaration is pinned to roster operation and comfortableness level to committing agelong word to Young. Atlanta has prioritized gathering a roster centered connected younger players Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson and Zaccharie Risacher. Young changeable a vocation debased 53% astatine the rim and had the second-worst effectual tract extremity percent of his career. He besides led the league successful turnovers with 355.

Without an extension, Young could go an unrestricted escaped cause successful the 2026 offseason if the subordinate enactment is declined. Another origin to see is the constricted commercialized partners disposable if Atlanta were to marque Young available. The lone teams with important vacancies successful their backcourt are Brooklyn and Sacramento.

What to expect: Unless Young is consenting to compromise connected his adjacent declaration (at 3 years, $120 million, for example), it is hard to spot the Hawks penning a $229 cardinal cheque to the 26-year-old All-Star.

Kyrie Irving, Mavericks

Eligible to sign: July 6
Extension deadline: June 30, 2026

Irving volition apt beryllium connected 2 lists this summer: cardinal hold candidates and escaped agents to watch.

If Irving opts successful to his $43 cardinal wage anterior to June 24, some sides volition beryllium allowed to negociate a woody for up to 4 years and $267 million.

Considering Irving turned 33 successful March and is coming disconnected a important genu wounded and teammate Anthony Davis is nether declaration for the adjacent 3 seasons, however, it is hard to spot the Mavericks committing much than 2 years connected an hold starting astatine $59 million.

What to expect: Irving opts retired of his declaration and signs a caller woody with the Mavericks.

Nikola Jokic, Nuggets

Eligible to sign: July 8
Extension deadline: Oct. 21

It was not adjacent 3 years agone that Jokic signed a five-year, $276 cardinal supermax hold aft Denver won its archetypal NBA championship.

Now, the three-time MVP is eligible to tack connected an further 3 seasons and $212 million. Because the subordinate enactment successful 2027-28 would beryllium replaced with a caller salary, the full worth of caller wealth would beryllium $152 million.

But Jokic signing a caller declaration this offseason should not beryllium a foregone decision successful Denver. He was honorable successful assessing the existent roster arsenic not bully capable oregon heavy capable to triumph a championship.

"We decidedly request to fig retired a mode to get much depth," Jokic said aft the Nuggets were eliminated successful 7 games by the Oklahoma City Thunder successful the Western Conference semifinals. "It seems similar the teams that person longer rotations, the longer benches, are the ones winning. You look astatine Indiana and OKC and Minnesota, and they person been large examples of that."

Holding disconnected connected signing an hold anterior to the Oct. 21 deadline would enactment unit connected ownership and management. Jokic could gain an further $81 cardinal if helium waits until the 2026 offseason.

What to expect: Though an other $152 cardinal successful guaranteed wealth is simply a bully perk, Jokic would beryllium amended served holding disconnected until person to Oct. 21 to marque a decision. Remember that helium inactive has 2 years near connected his declaration aft adjacent play and would payment much financially by waiting.

Norman Powell, Clippers

Eligible to sign: July 6
Extension deadline: June 30, 2026

The Clippers person cautiously constructed their roster with an oculus connected being competitory present portion keeping their aboriginal flexibility.

Cases successful point: the three-year hold Kawhi Leonard signed successful 2024 and the short-term woody for James Harden. The lone guaranteed wage connected the Clippers' books successful 2027-28 is the $21 cardinal owed to Ivica Zubac.

Extension talks with Powell volition trial however the Clippers walk into the future. Powell is entering the past twelvemonth of his contract, and determination is nary question helium has outplayed his $19.2 cardinal salary. Before the All-Star break, helium averaged 24.2 points, 49.6% shooting from the tract and 42.8% connected 3-pointers.

However, committing an yearly wage of $30 cardinal oregon much -- helium is eligible to motion a four-year, $128.5 cardinal hold -- should springiness the Clippers pause. Powell precocious turned 32 and has played successful much than 60 games conscionable erstwhile implicit the past 4 seasons.

What to expect: If Powell remains a priority, a two-year, $50 cardinal hold is simply a compromise for some sides. The $25 million-per-year wage successful 2027-28 would inactive permission the Clippers with much than $120 cardinal successful headdress abstraction disposable to usage successful escaped agency.

Austin Reaves, Lakers

Eligible to sign: July 6
Extension deadline: June 30, 2026

It's nobody's fault, but Reaves and the Lakers could beryllium successful a holding signifier connected a caller contract.

Reaves signed a four-year, $53.8 cardinal woody with the Lakers successful 2023, the maximum allowed due to the fact that of his escaped cause presumption astatine the time. His $13.9 cardinal wage successful 2025-26 is beneath the mean subordinate wage and nontax midlevel exception.

Two years later, that bargain declaration could play a relation successful the defender becoming a escaped cause successful the 2026 offseason. Because of his team-friendly salary, the maximum hold the Lakers tin connection is 4 years, $89.2 million. The $19.9 cardinal for the archetypal twelvemonth is 140% of the mean subordinate salary, the astir allowed nether the CBA.

What to expect: Reaves should bypass signing an hold and participate escaped bureau successful 2026. Declining the $14.9 cardinal subordinate enactment successful 2026-27 would springiness him much fiscal options connected a caller declaration with the Lakers.

Jaren Jackson Jr., Grizzlies

Eligible to sign: July 6
Extension deadline: June 30, 2026

With Jackson missing retired connected All-NBA honors, the Grizzlies volition request to get originative arsenic it relates to an hold for the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year.

Because the rookie hold Jackson signed successful 2021 declines, the maximum hold allowed would beryllium four-years, $146.8 million, which is $150 cardinal little than what helium could motion for with Memphis arsenic a escaped cause successful 2026 and $75 cardinal little than helium could get with different squad that has headdress space.

A workable solution is to renegotiate his $23.3 cardinal wage with headdress abstraction and past widen him an further 4 seasons. For example, the Grizzlies could usage their $6.9 cardinal successful disposable country to summation his wage to $30.3 million. Memphis would past beryllium allowed to widen him for different 4 years and $190 million. Jackson joined Anthony Davis and Victor Wembanyama arsenic the lone players to mean 20 points and 1.5 blocks during the regular season.

What to expect: A renegotiation and extension. If the extremity for Year 1 of the hold starts astatine $51 cardinal (the max first-year salary), Memphis volition request to person $14 cardinal successful country to summation his wage successful 2025-26.

Ja Morant, Grizzlies

Eligible to sign: July 6
Extension deadline: June 30

There are layers to hold talks with Morant. There is nary consciousness of urgency fixed that helium inactive has 3 years near connected the five-year, $197 cardinal hold helium signed successful 2022. There are questions of durability, arsenic injuries and suspension person led to Morant play a full of 120 games the past 3 seasons. Why widen a woody by 2 years and $128.4 cardinal for a subordinate that cannot enactment connected the court?

Then determination is the content that Memphis inactive views the erstwhile All-Star arsenic a subordinate to physique astir not conscionable adjacent play but successful the foreseeable future.

The 25-year-old had 18 consecutive 20-plus-point games this season, the third-longest streak successful his career. Morant besides averaged a vocation precocious successful turnovers and changeable 45.4% from the field, the second-lowest percent since helium was drafted successful 2019.

What to expect: Memphis plays retired the play and entertains hold talks adjacent offseason.

Zion Williamson, Pelicans

Eligible to sign: July 6
Extension deadline: Oct. 20

An hold for Williamson is improbable for 2 reasons. The archetypal comes successful committing agelong word to a subordinate who has spent much clip connected the sideline than connected the court. Since helium was drafted successful 2019, Williamson has played successful conscionable 46% of regular-season games and has ne'er appeared successful the playoffs. He has played much than 30 games twice.

The 2nd is Williamson's existent declaration and the leverage New Orleans loses if an hold is signed. Williamson's $39.4 cardinal declaration ($7.9 cardinal protected) for adjacent play is guaranteed July 15. The pursuing 2 seasons ($42.2 cardinal and $44.9 million) stay non-guaranteed. If Williamson does motion a two-year $128.4 cardinal extension, his archetypal declaration volition go afloat guaranteed.

What to expect: No extension, and Williamson enters escaped bureau successful 2028.

Mikal Bridges, Knicks

Eligible to sign: July 6
Extension deadline: June 30, 2026

If we are going connected durability alone, Bridges is simply a shoo-in for a caller contract. He is eligible to motion up to a four-year, $156.1 cardinal hold this offseason.

Since entering the league successful 2018, Bridges has not missed a game. His 37 minutes per crippled this play were the highest successful his career.

In the regular season, Bridges changeable 50% from the tract for the archetypal clip since his past twelvemonth successful Phoenix. The accrued ratio is simply a byproduct of the antithetic relation successful New York from that successful Brooklyn the erstwhile 2 seasons. In the Knicks' second-round triumph against Boston, Bridges changeable 56.5% from the field, totaling 29 points successful the 4th quarter.

Jalen Brunson's team-friendly hold signed past summertime paves the mode for Bridges to person a caller declaration and for New York to clasp its fiscal flexibility. The Knicks volition beryllium a projected $30 cardinal beneath the 2nd apron successful 2026-27 if the Bridges hold starts astatine $34 million.

What to expect: The question volition travel down to whether the Knicks are consenting to connection their fourth-best subordinate an mean wage of astir $40 cardinal implicit the adjacent 4 seasons. If they are, it is hard to spot Bridges turning down a $10 cardinal wage summation adjacent play and implicit $150 cardinal successful guaranteed money.

Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks

Eligible to sign: July 7
Extension deadline: Oct. 20

Towns continues to play astatine an All-NBA level offensively, and arsenic a effect should beryllium successful the treatment to person a caller contract. He joined Nikola Jokic arsenic the lone players this play to mean 20 points, 10 rebounds and 40% shooting connected 3-pointers. Towns' 56 double-doubles were the 3rd astir successful the league.

But present is wherever things get complicated.

Towns is nether declaration for the adjacent 3 seasons ($53.1 million, $57.1 cardinal and $61 million). The past twelvemonth is simply a subordinate option. By extending his declaration an further 2 years and $150 million, New York would beryllium paying a subordinate successful his mid-30s an mean wage of $75 million.

What to expect: Considering Brunson's $43 cardinal wage successful 2027-28 could summation to much than $70 cardinal (Brunson has a subordinate enactment that season), it is hard to spot New York committing important wealth to Towns.

Devin Booker, Suns

Eligible to sign: July 6
Extension deadline: Oct. 20

There is nary extension-eligible subordinate with much leverage. The reason: Suns proprietor Mat Ishbia saying connected the grounds that Booker is not going anywhere.

"Never happen," Ishbia told ESPN connected whether helium would see trading Booker. "It's silly. So here's what I'll archer you: I person Devin Booker successful the prime. In bid to triumph an NBA championship, you person to person a superstar. You person to person a large player." For an eighth consecutive season, Booker averaged astatine slightest 25 points per crippled and changeable implicit 45% from the field. His 75 games played were his astir since 2016-17.

Despite having 3 years near connected the $220 cardinal supermax hold signed successful 2022, Booker is eligible to adhd 2 much seasons. The $75 cardinal mean wage implicit some years would beryllium the highest successful league history.

What to expect: A two-year, $150 cardinal hold is lone fitting considering the value Phoenix has placed connected gathering its roster astir the guard.

Kevin Durant, Suns

Eligible to sign: July 6
Extension deadline: June 30, 2026

The aboriginal of Durant, on with Bucks prima Giannis Antetokounmpo, volition predominate this offseason.

With Durant nether declaration for 1 much season, Phoenix indispensable determine whether it wants to proceed gathering astir Durant and Devin Booker oregon reset the roster and research trades.

Durant, who volition crook 37 successful September, is eligible to motion a two-year, $124 cardinal hold with Phoenix. However, helium volition go ineligible to beryllium traded for six months if helium is extended astatine that salary.

"I privation my vocation to extremity connected my terms, that's the lone thing," Durant said past period connected "The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis." "That's the lone happening I'm disquieted about. Because I spot a batch of dudes that don't get that opportunity, truthful I privation to support putting successful that enactment to marque that prime connected my own."

If Durant is traded, helium volition beryllium allowed to motion a two-year, $111 cardinal hold close distant with his caller team, oregon the aforesaid two-year, $124 cardinal hold helium could motion with Phoenix but six months aft the trade.

What to expect: Similar to the extremity of Jimmy Butler III's tenure with the Miami Heat, Durant signs a two-year, $111 cardinal hold with Phoenix and is past traded.

Waiting until August

Luka Doncic, Lakers

Eligible to sign: After NBA Finals, oregon Aug. 2
Extension deadline: June 30

Doncic and the Lakers tin hold to a three-year, $160 cardinal hold aft the NBA Finals conclude. But due to the fact that helium was traded Feb. 2, the Lakers person to hold until Aug. 2 if the extremity is to widen him for the maximum allowed: 4 years and $229 million.

There are aggregate variations of a caller hold for Doncic:

A four-year, $229 cardinal max, wherever the $51 cardinal first-year wage for 2026-27 replaces the subordinate enactment for that season. And, much likely: a three-year, $165 cardinal hold that includes a subordinate enactment successful the 3rd year. The short-term hold would let Doncic to reenter escaped bureau sooner and perchance recoup the $345 cardinal helium mislaid erstwhile helium was traded from the Mavericks.

Doncic, for his part, confirmed to ESPN's Malika Andrews successful an interrogation earlier the postseason that his volition is to stay with the Lakers. But portion determination should beryllium assurance successful Doncic extending, showing him what a post-LeBron James roster could look similar is simply a large priority.

What to expect: Doncic signs a three-year, $165 cardinal woody with a subordinate enactment for 2028-29.

De'Aaron Fox, Spurs

Eligible to sign: Aug. 3
Extension deadline: June 30, 2026

Fox was adamant aft helium was traded successful February that San Antonio was not going to beryllium a pit halt successful his career.

"There was nary f---ing list," Fox told ESPN regarding commercialized talks with his erstwhile team, the Kings, astatine the commercialized deadline. "There was 1 team. I wanted to spell to San Antonio."

Similar to Doncic, Fox is eligible to hold to an hold aft the Finals reason but is restricted connected the magnitude of years and full value. The three-year, $140.2 cardinal hold increases to four-years, $229 cardinal starting connected Aug. 3.

What to expect: Fox signs a four-year, $229 cardinal extension.

Waiting until October

Tyler Herro, Heat

Eligible to sign: Oct. 1
Extension deadline: Oct. 20

Herro made it known aft the play that signing an hold successful Miami is simply a priority.

"The beforehand office, the organization, the city, everyone knows however overmuch I emotion Miami," Herro told the Miami Herald. "I've been present since I was 18, 19. I've got 2 kids here."

Starting Oct. 1, Herro is eligible to tack connected a three-year, $149.7 cardinal hold to the 2 years ($31 cardinal and $33 million) helium has near connected his contract. If nary statement is reached earlier Oct. 20, Herro would past beryllium eligible to motion a four-year, $206.9 cardinal hold adjacent offseason. He is supermax eligible (five years, $380 million) if helium is selected All-NBA successful 2025-26.

Herro not lone earned his archetypal All-Star quality but consistently enactment up All-NBA-caliber numbers. For a 4th consecutive season, Herro averaged astatine slightest 20 points, and finished 2024-25 with 5 games of astatine slightest 35 points, a career-best 47.2% shooting from the tract and 5.5 assists per game. The stats connected the tribunal are outweighed by what has plagued Herro successful the past -- staying healthy. But Herro played a career-high 77 games this past season. Miami mislaid each 5 games helium sat out.

What to expect: Guaranteed wealth erstwhile again wins retired and Herro signs a three-year, $149.7 cardinal extension.