• Cap projections indicate NBA supermax contracts will become even more expensive in coming seasons
• Nikola Jokic is expected to be eligible for a $400 million contract in 2026
• Jaylen Brown just signed the richest contract in league history at five years, $304 million
The NBA is abuzz with the news of Jaylen Brown’s new supermax contract, the first one to net a player $300 million guaranteed in league history. However, his status as the holder of the biggest contract in NBA history is going to be short-lived.
Kurt Helin of NBC Sports analyzed five players that could have bigger contracts than what Brown signed this summer, predicting a $400 million contract to be handed to Nikola Jokic in the summer of 2026.
“Potential supermax extensions on the horizon:
2026: Nikola Jokic – 5 years / $404M
2025: Luka Doncic – 5 years / $367M
2025: Joel Embiid – 5 years / $367M
2024: Jayson Tatum – 5 years / $334M
2024: Giannis Antetokounmpo – 5 years / $334M.”
All five players deserve every cent they get, as they have been the five most consistent regular-season performers over the last few years, with each having an All-NBA First-Team nod in the last two seasons.
More players can emerge over the next season and put themselves in contention for these massive extensions.
The Financial Scale Of NBA Contracts Limiting Player Movement?
With the lucrative contracts that players can sign when they stick with one team, we don’t see superstars switch teams in free agency anymore. All superstars are looking to force trades to ensure their team can also get bird rights to guarantee an extension over market value. That’s what Kyrie Irving did by demanding a trade in February, knowing that the Nets weren’t going to extend him and no free-agent destination would pay him what the Mavericks just paid him.
Damian Lillard got his supermax extension before asking for a trade and we’re seeing James Harden do exactly what Kyrie did and find a new home while on the last year of his contract instead of going into free agency. If you want a star, cap space won’t do the trick, but trade assets will. Players are also picking trade destinations like Lillard’s demands of being sent to Miami, so this is essentially the superstar version of free agency.
Joel Embiid is rumored to be unhappy and expected to ask out and possibly join the Knicks. But he’ll likely force the 76ers to trade him to this future destination to ensure he can still get his $367 million contract in 2025. The same will apply to Luka Doncic if he decides to make a move outside of Dallas as well.
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