It’s the era of groundbreaking contracts. And in case that wasn’t already obvious, Steph Curry reminded the world of it by recently inking a whopping $62.6 million extension with the Golden State Warriors.
Behind Curry in the all-time pyramid of great point guards is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who’s knocking on the door of his first NBA championship next season. The Oklahoma City Thunder playmaker is positioned, not only to carry the mantle for the best facilitator in the game but to earn one of the biggest contracts ever after consecutive All-NBA seasons have increased the weight of an inevitable new deal with OKC.
At 26 years old, No. 2 is still evolving as he awaits what those numbers will look like in a new deal.
Preparing to join the upper class
Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus recently penned a list of the 12 biggest contracts in the NBA over the next five years. Here are the criteria he used to assess the possible candidates for a new pact:
“The list covers 2024-25 through 2028-29. It excludes players who just signed recent massive extensions, such as Tyrese Haliburton, Anthony Edwards, Jayson Tatum, etc. Predictions will make assumptions, such as Devin Booker extending when eligible instead of waiting until 2028 to sign a five-year, $418 million contract as a free agent. Those coming off their rookie-scale contract (former first-round picks) can extend for up to 30 percent of the cap but need quality for that bump above the standard 25 percent. Similarly, veterans with 7-8 years of experience who weren't traded after their fourth year and qualify can jump early from 30 percent of the cap to 35 percent. In both cases, extensions can add (including existing seasons) up to six total years instead of the standard five.”
Using these guidelines, Pincus projects that SGA will join Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell as the player to earn the third-highest contract between now and the 2029 NBA season.
The estimated contract: four years, $293.4 million
“While Gilgeous-Alexander can wait until 2026 to extend for the full five additional years at $379.9 million, that assumes he still qualifies and is willing to let a massive payday go potentially unclaimed. Instead, expect him to add four seasons next summer (six total with his existing contract through 2026-27) at $293.4 million,” writes Pincus.
Next summer can be potentially novel for the 26-year-old. Signing the roughly $293 million deal in 2025 can set him up to be the first player to earn $80 million a season, which he would earn in the 2030-31 season.
However, he can also wait until his contract expires in 2027 and instead ink a deal that harbors 35% of the team’s salary cap since he has met the “supermax” criteria. This route could make the guard the first $400 million player in league history.
The Thunder’s immediate and long-term decisions will be dictated by the length of years and value of Shai’s contract. Although a timeline for a contract extension is still foggy, it is almost certain to happen soon.
Related: SGA is expected to lead the Thunder in scoring for the sixth year in a row unless this happens
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