Predicting the 10 Biggest NBA Contracts to Be Handed Out This Offseason
With the NBA's salary cap increasing to an all-time high, the 2026-27 season will see record contracts.
The best talent in the world will seek appropriate compensation, and the numbers will be staggering. While only a few teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets and Chicago Bulls will have spending power under a projected $165 million salary cap, many of the largest contracts of the summer will come in the form of extensions.
Still, the top 10 is only scratching the surface of the billions to be issued.
Honorable Mention
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Several players will get healthy contracts that don't quite make the list. James Harden, helping the Cleveland Cavaliers advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, will likely opt out of his final year at $42.3 million, with only $13.3 million guaranteed, to re-sign for a couple more seasons in the $70 million range.
Tyrese Haliburton tore his Achilles tendon in the 2025 NBA Finals, missing all of the current season. While he's eligible to add two years of max money starting in 2029-30, both he and the Indiana Pacers may wait a bit before locking in an extension.
Similarly, Anthony Edwards lost his appeal on the 65-game rule, taking away his ability to extend on a supermax for two additional years. He's best waiting a year, reaching those goals along with an All-NBA selection to extend for three seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2027.
The Boston Celtics can give two more years to Jaylen Brown, but the franchise would be better suited to wait-and-see a year, after a disappointing end to what was a tremendous regular season.
Kawhi Leonard, Tyler Herro, Ausar Thompson, Cason Wallace, Trae Young, Anthony Davis, Isaiah Hartenstein, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Brandin Podziemski, and Andrew Wiggins, among others, could extend or opt out of new deals that rival some on the list. Check out the list of top NBA free agents for additional players who could reach lucrative deals.
10. Jalen Duren
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Team: Detroit Pistons
Current Contract: Restricted free agent
Type: New contract
Eligibility: July 6
Projection: $113 million over four seasons
Duren finished a career year in the regular season, earning his first All-Star berth while helping the Pistons to the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. If that were the end of the story, he'd be fighting for a max deal this summer.
Unfortunately, he struggled in the postseason, and the Pistons fell to the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games in the second round. Falling from 19.5 points a game on 65 percent shooting from the field to 10.2 on 51.4 percent will hit Duren in the wallet.
Still, the Pistons need what he brings, but they must improve in other areas. Starting over without a starting center isn't a viable option. That could lead to Duren back on a one-year $9.6 million qualifying offer.
Facing that, Detroit may find a compromise figure starting at $32.5 million. Both sides reduce risk in a four-year deal, allowing Duren to get to his next free-agent contract sooner.
9. Steph Curry
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Team: Golden State Warriors
Current Contract: $62.6 million through 2026-27
Type: Veteran extension
Eligibility: July 6 to June 30, 2027
Projection: $137 million over two seasons
The easiest negotiation on the list. The Warriors want to keep Curry for as long as he wants to play. At his age, 38, the most he can extend for is two additional seasons.
Curry is above the current 35-percent-of-cap maximum; eligible to start his next deal with a five percent bump in pay. Coach Steve Kerr agreeing to return to the bench suggests a Curry deal will soon follow.
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8. Austin Reaves
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Team: Los Angeles Lakers
Current Contract: $15 million for 2026-27 (player option)
Type: New contract
Eligibility: July 6
Projection: $168 million over five seasons
Reaves is arguably the top free agent this summer, but the challenge will be finding teams capable of spending if the Brooklyn Nets or Chicago Bulls are willing to drive up the price. Other franchises could get involved by trading to create cap room or by attempting to initiate a sign-and-trade with the Lakers.
A five-year deal starting at $35 million seems a reasonable compromise. A shorter version over four seasons reaches $122 million. Reaves is close to Luka Dončić. He's a tremendous fit offensively, but the Lakers would need to add defensive pieces to compete at a higher level.
7. Brandon Miller
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Team: Charlotte Hornets
Current Contract: $15.1 million through 2026-27
Type: Rookie-scale extension
Eligibility: July 6 to October 21
Projection: $175 million over five seasons
Miller averaged 20.2 points a game, shooting 38.3 percent from three-point range, helping the Hornets fight through a strong season that ended in the play-in tournament. While the former No. 2 overall pick may have designs on a max deal, Charlotte may be hesitant to over-invest too early.
There's a line where Miller is offered too much from the Hornets to turn down, even if it's not close to the dream goal. Pencil that in at $175 million over five years; otherwise the Hornets can just wait until he's a restricted free agent in 2027.
6. Keyonte George
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Team: Utah Jazz
Current Contract: $6.6 million through 2026-27
Type: Rookie-scale extension
Eligibility: July 6 to October 21
Projection: $183 million over five seasons
George is the non-lottery standout from the 2023 draft class. At No. 16, he's developed into a high-level offensive player for the Jazz, averaging 23.6 points and 6.1 assists per game. The team recently asked him to represent the franchise at the NBA draft lottery, bringing good fortune with the No. 2 selection.
After trading for Jaren Jackson Jr. from the Memphis Grizzlies, securing their draft pick, and with the NBA changing tanking rules, look for the Jazz to compete at a much higher level.
Part of that will be taking care of George this summer on a five-year deal starting at roughly $31.5 million.
5. Amen Thompson
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Team: Houston Rockets
Current Contract: $12.3 million through 2026-27
Type: Rookie-scale extension
Eligibility: July 6 to October 21
Projection: $200 million over five seasons
Thompson was the best player on the Rockets through their first-round loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. When he was on the court, his team outplayed L.A. When Thompson sat, the Lakers would go on game-winning runs.
From the B/R late-March rookie-scale extension predictions, Thompson was slotted at $150 million over five years. Now, after showing how capable he is in the playoffs—despite lacking a true outside jumper—that figure has climbed to a projected $34.5 million starting salary.
If that's too rich for the Rockets, they can push Thompson to restricted free agency in 2027. The franchise paid Jabari Smith Jr. $122 million over five years last July, and while he's important to Houston, Thompson is their standout.
4. Donovan Mitchell
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Team: Cleveland Cavaliers
Current Contract: $104 million through 2027-28 (player option)
Type: Veteran extension
Eligibility: July 7 to June 30, 2027
Projection: $276 million over four seasons
Cleveland gave up significant draft compensation to the Utah Jazz to build around Mitchell. Up until this past week, the results haven't been as strong as hoped. Having survived the Detroit Pistons in a grueling seven-game series, Mitchell and the Cavaliers will battle the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Extending Mitchell this summer appears to be the team's top priority. Provided he's willing—and at such a large number, he should be—expect a deal in early July. Even if the team doesn't go all the way, Mitchell can point to Devin Booker's salary in Phoenix with the Suns as the needed comp for his market value.
While Mitchell would sign an extension as a player with nine years of service, it would start after 2026-27, when he's at 10 and eligible for 35 percent of the salary cap, projected at $61.6 million.
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo
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Team: Milwaukee Bucks
Current Contract: $121.2 million through 2027-28 (player option)
Type: Veteran extension
Eligibility: October 1 to June 30, 2027
Projection: $276 million over four seasons
The Bucks would like to get Antetokounmpo extended, but multiple NBA sources expect he'll push instead for a trade. B/R will continue mapping and ranking potential trade packages until a decision is made.
If traded, Antetokounmpo must wait six months to add four years; otherwise, he's limited to three years and $194 million. Also, should the salary cap for the 2027-28 season fall lower than projected, he would still be eligible for a five percent bump from his $58.5 million for 2026-27 to $61.4 million ($275 million), even if that's above the league max at 35 percent of the salary cap.
The working assumption is that Antetokounmpo will green-light a trade with a verbal extension in place, leverage he can use to prevent a deal to a team he doesn't prefer. Such a deal is not officially permitted under NBA rules, but informal framework discussions about extensions are relatively commonplace before trades are finalized.
2. Nikola Jokić
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Team: Denver Nuggets
Current Contract: $121.9 million through 2027-28 (player option)
Type: Veteran extension
Eligibility: July 8 to June 30, 2027
Projection: $278 million over four seasons
Jokić seems fully committed to the Nuggets. The organization is likely to offer him a max extension as soon as he becomes eligible.
Earning slightly more than Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jokić will similarly opt out of his final year to extend at a five percent raise to a starting salary of $62 million, which would be larger than the 35 percent max if the salary cap does not climb above current projections.
That the Nuggets finished the 2025-26 postseason with a first-round exit had more to do with health than Jokić's elite talent. Most notably, Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson weren't available.
Look for the front office to restructure the roster to improve, while working within the complicated apron structure of the NBA's collective bargaining agreement. That might mean Cam Johnson and/or Gordon are moved, enabling the team to pay Watson as a restricted free agent.
1. Victor Wembanyama
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Team: San Antonio Spurs
Current Contract: $16.9 million through 2026-27
Type: Rookie-scale extension
Eligibility: July 6 to October 21
Projection: $255-$306 million over five seasons
The Spurs need to give Wembanyama all the money.
We won't know his salary until June 30, 2027, when the salary cap for 2027-28 is set. At this early stage, Wembanyama is eligible for the 25 percent max, but will undoubtedly sign with the potential to bump up to 30 percent.
To qualify, Wembanyama needs to play in at least 65 games through the 2026-27 season, winning any of three honors: Most Valuable Player, Defensive Player of the Year, or All-NBA (first through third team). Provided he stays healthy, he should reach $306 million.
His impact on the Spurs, helping the team advance ahead of schedule to the Western Conference Finals, cannot be understated.
Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on X @EricPincus and Bluesky.
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