6 Contract-Year NBA Players Who Are Poised to Get Paid After 2014-15 Season
Few things fill a bank account quicker than contract-year production.
For these six NBA players, their current commitments are coming to an end at exactly the right time. Every point they score, rebound they grab or dime they drop from now until the end of the season will put a little extra on their next paycheck.
Except, of course, for the few who have already ensured themselves of getting everything the league's collective bargaining agreement allows.
There are rising prospects and established stars here, with both categories promising tremendous returns on the investments made in them. Most are outperforming their current rates, which only makes it more apparent how well they will fare on the open market.
When teams break out their checkbooks next summer, these six will secure some of the richest contracts handed out.
LaMarcus Aldridge, PF, Portland Trail Blazers
1 of 6
Free-Agent Type: Unrestricted
LaMarcus Aldridge's contract negotiations may be light on drama.
The 29-year-old has already made a public commitment to the Portland Trail Blazers. He passed on the opportunity to ink an extension this past summer, but that decision was made solely to maximize his potential earnings.
"I'm happy to stay, happy to be here, happy with the direction the team has gone the last year or two," he told The Oregonian's Joe Freeman in July. "This has no impact on my interest in staying in Portland. I just want to get a five-year deal. ... I want to be the best Blazer—ever."
Whatever his negotiations lack in suspense, they'll make up for with prodigious amounts of cash.
Aldridge undoubtedly has maximum-contract money coming his way. The sweet-shooting 6'11" forward has been a 20-point, 10-rebound machine for the past five seasons, averaging 21.9 and 9.3, respectively, over that stretch. He powered Portland to 54 wins last season and has the Blazers on pace to crack the 60-win barrier this time around.
With a three-point stroke added to his arsenal (8-of-16 shooting on the season), he is one of the most complete offensive players at his position. He's also holding a career-best defensive rating (101) for the second consecutive year.
In other words, the armored trucks are already heading Aldridge's way.
Jimmy Butler, SG, Chicago Bulls
2 of 6
Free-Agent Type: Restricted
Chicago Bulls swingman Jimmy Butler knows a good gamble when he sees one.
The 25-year-old could have secured a very comfortable financial future for himself prior to the start of the season. Butler declined a four-year, $40 million-plus contract offer in October, a source told Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.
That could not have been an easy call to make. Based on what he had shown to date, an eight-figure salary seemed more than reasonable for the 30th pick in the 2011 draft. Last season—his first in a featured role—Butler shot just 39.7 percent from the field and 28.3 percent from the perimeter. Those are not $10 million-per numbers, regardless of how strong he's been as a defender.
Still, Butler reasoned he could find something better next summer.
"It came down to me deciding that I want to bet on myself," he told Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski. "It was about me believing that I put the work in this summer to become a better player with the hope that my improvement will give the Bulls a better chance to win a championship."
His improvement has been impossible to miss. His stat sheet is nearly filled with career marks, highlighted by a 21.9 points-per-game scoring average, a 49.8 field-goal percentage and a 22.4 player efficiency rating. He's also logging a league-high 39.3 minutes a night.
With an efficient offensive game to match his relentless defense, this rising two-way star is poised to break the bank at season's end.
Goran Dragic, PG/SG, Phoenix Suns
3 of 6
Free-Agent Type: Player Option
The 2013-14 campaign was nothing short of magical for Phoenix Suns combo guard Goran Dragic.
His career-best 20.3 points per game were supported by 50.5 percent shooting from the field and a 40.8 percent success rate from deep. His 21.4 PER shattered his previous personal high of 18.0. By year's end, he was named both the league's Most Improved Player and an All-NBA third-team selection.
Early into that season, it became obvious his $7.5 million player option for 2015-16 no longer fit with his skill set.
It's important to remember the type of player Dragic can be, as the Suns currently haven't figured out how to give him that same opportunity this season. Phoenix has built itself around a three-headed monster at the point, featuring Dragic, Eric Bledsoe and Isaiah Thomas. The setup has largely pushed Dragic away from the ball, resulting in dramatic declines in assists (3.2, down from 5.9) and usage percentage (21.8 from 24.5).
Dragic has become a complementary scorer (14.4 points per game) and, judging by his PER, a mediocre talent (14.6, shy of the league average 15.0). But front-office types haven't forgotten how good the Dragon can be. And that alone could steer the 28-year-old toward testing the open market next summer. A source told Sporting News' Sean Deveney that Dragic will have an "open" free agency.
The league isn't exactly littered with 50/40 shooters, let alone ones capable of consistently creating for others. The knowledge that Dragic has that kind of ability will be enough to help him score a substantial raise next summer, even if his numbers never fully recover this season.
Marc Gasol, C, Memphis Grizzlies
4 of 6
Free-Agent Type: Unrestricted
At 15-2, the Memphis Grizzlies look like full-fledged championship contenders. While a number of factors went into cementing that status, none have played a bigger part than Marc Gasol's emergence as a legitimate MVP candidate.
The 2012-13 Defensive Player of the Year still finds himself as the anchor of a top-five defense. But the difference this season is that he's creating just as much havoc on the opposite side of the floor.
His 20.1 points-per-game scoring average is more than five points above his previous high (14.6). Both his usage percentage (25.6) and PER (23.6) are easily sitting at career levels. Memphis ranks eighth in offensive efficiency, and Gasol carries the greatest portion of that credit.
His work is being noticed—both inside and outside of Memphis. As Billy Witz of The New York Times noted, Gasol will not be short on suitors once he hits the open market:
"His diverse skill set would seem to be a seamless fit for the San Antonio Spurs, as Tim Duncan’s heir, or for the Knicks, as a centerpiece to Phil Jackson’s triangular rebuilding — or for just about any other team with enough salary cap space to accommodate a player whom the Grizzlies’ Zach Randolph calls the best big man in the N.B.A.
"
Gasol can play the role of interior anchor on both sides of the ball. If the 7'1" bruiser is not the best center in the NBA, he's on a very short list of premier players at his position.
His pay will soon better reflect his place in this league.
Draymond Green, PF, Golden State Warriors
5 of 6
Free-Agent Type: Restricted
Draymond Green knows his jackpot payday is coming.
When the Golden State Warriors glue guy recently signed with agent B.J. Armstrong and the heavyweight Wasserman Media Group, Green explained the decision by saying, "I feel like I wanted to go a little bit bigger," per USA Today's Sam Amick.
As a walking Swiss army knife, Green's value isn't supposed to be easy to measure.
He doesn't dominate traditional categories, as he's putting up just 12.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.9 steals a night. His career-high shooting percentages from the field (46.1) and from three (37.5) have both been encouraging, but they still contribute to a slightly below-average 14.3 PER.
Yet, he's such an obviously critical piece of the 14-2 Warriors' plans. Golden State outscores opponents by 18.9 points per 100 possessions when he plays and gets outscored by 2.9 points per 100 possessions when he sits. Only Splash Brothers Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson have higher net differentials than Green's plus-21.8.
"He's in a lot of ways our heart and soul and just plays with such passion at both ends," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said, per Bay Area News Group's Diamond Leung. "I think it's contagious."
Green combines passion, intelligence and a polished set of skills to make a strong two-way force. Teams will pay a premium for what he brings inside the lines, which is why he's preparing to collect something substantial.
Rajon Rondo, PG, Boston Celtics
6 of 6
Free-Agent Type: Unrestricted
Major money is nothing new to Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo. He has been collecting an eight-figure salary since the 2011-12 season.
But the 28-year-old could be staring at the kind of cash he has never before seen. As he told reporters back at media day, he thinks he is worthy of a max-contract commitment.
The numbers don't exactly disagree with that assessment. If nothing else, he's an extremely unique talent. And that has less to do with his massive mitts than it does his selfless style of play.
Few floor generals have ever come around like Rondo. His 41.36 career assists percentage is fourth highest in NBA history. This season, he is on pace to join Oscar Robertson, Norm Van Lier, Magic Johnson and Jason Kidd as the only players to have averaged at least 10 assists and seven rebounds for a full year.
As it stands, Rondo is set to collect his third assists crown of the past four seasons. His 44.2 field-goal percentage continues climbing toward his 47.5 career mark, and his 35.3 three-point percentage would be a new personal best.
He excels in so many different areas, and he maximizes the production of players around him as well as any player at his position. It remains to be seen whether the rebuilding Celtics will sign off on his max-contract price tag, but some team will determine he is worth top dollar.
Unless otherwise noted, statistics used courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com.
