We’ve put together a list of 10 NBA players that could make or break their future contract hopes this season.
With the start of a new NBA season comes the start of a new cycle of trades and contract extensions. Under a stricter salary cap, teams are valuing expiring contracts higher than they ever have before. But all contracts ultimately run out of time, and the question is whether a player will be re-signed for less, the same, or more money than before.
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There are multiple players playing with a big contract on the line this season. This is a mix of players on deals that are expiring next season and stars with player options that could opt out to test their value or extend on a massive or discounted salary. All of that depends on how they play next season.
These are 10 NBA players who are playing for contracts this season. One name we’ve left out is LeBron James, who can be a free agent next season. LeBron will command whatever amount he says, as there is nothing he can do over one season that makes him worth anything less than the biggest contract possible.
10. Tobias Harris
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Tobias Harris has proved one thing for sure: that he can be a highly productive role-player in the NBA. His NBA future isn’t on the line, but it is a far cry from the time he was making All-Star teams on the Los Angeles Clippers. The 76ers chose to extend him on a massive five-year, $180 contract in 2019 instead of Jimmy Butler. The contract is due to run out at the end of the 2023-24 season.
Harris is making $39.7 million this season. His dollar value hasn’t lived up to his production, as Harris has averaged 17.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.1 assists over the last four seasons in Philly.
He has been a very consistent player, just not the caliber that can occupy a max contract slot. It’s unlikely he can recover that value in one season, but averaging 20+ points to give Joel Embiid the help he needs this season could do wonders for his future, whether it’s in Philly or somewhere else.
9. Tyrese Maxey
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Tyrese Maxey is one of the brightest young guards in the NBA and is the only non-All-Star on this list. That’s with good reason, as Maxey is capable of having an All-Star-level impact and needs to prove it to earn a big contract extension. He’s making just $4.3 million this season but is a free agent at the end of it.
The 76ers would be fools to let him go, but it’s clear that they are valuing the cap space they have next season. If Maxey wants to maximize his earnings, he has to earn every dollar on the court this season to make the 76ers finalize him into their core alongside Joel Embiid.
Tobias doesn’t stand to be as valuable as Maxey can, especially with the Harden situation. If there is no other primary guard, Maxey will need to show sudden development like he did when Ben Simmons sat out in 2021/22. Proving he can be Embiid’s No. 2 will put pressure on a 76ers franchise that wants to satiate their star who wants them to remain competitive for the rest of his career.
8. Pascal Siakam
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Masai Ujiri threw down the gauntlet with Pascal Siakam, publicly saying that stars on the Raptors need to play the right way to earn new contracts. For a borderline All-NBA player like Siakam, who qualifies for a supermax extension, this is bad news. If he doesn’t get that contract from the Raptors, he definitely won’t get a contract of equal value in free agency.
He’d be a highly sought-after free agent, but players stand to earn more if they extend with their home team using bird rights. Siakam has his eye on a $300 million contract and needs to have a sensational year to earn it. He averaged 24.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 5.8 assists last season, but the Raptors missed the playoffs.
This season, both he and OG Anunoby will be playing for new contracts. If the Raptors find themselves in the competitive picture of the East once again, both players are likely going to earn an extension. Siakam has been unwilling to get traded because of his expiring contract and will need to prove to Toronto that he can lead the team the way they want him to.
7. DeMar DeRozan
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DeMar DeRozan has spent two seasons with the Bulls but has only one first-round playoff exit to show for it. This season isn’t looking promising for a stagnant Chicago team that hasn’t had their starting point guard available for a season and a half.
DeRozan has two big options looming with his player option at the end of the season. It’ll either be to secure a long-term contract with the Bulls or find his way to a contender next season on a big contract.
DeRozan averaged 24.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.1 assists last season. He is a very solid player that could swing a title for a team. But his value will be in flux due to his lack of winning stints since leaving the Raptors. He’s been an All-Star, but that isn’t magical protection from being made to take a pay cut from his current salary of $28.6 million to stay in the league.
6. Jrue Holiday
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Much has been made of the Jrue Holiday trade to the Boston Celtics, officially making the Celtics a second apron team. With extensions handed out to Kristaps Porzingis and Jaylen Brown and an extension for Jayson Tatum on the horizon, Jrue Holiday could find himself in a financial pinch.
The All-Star guard is making $34.9 million this season, but he is extension-eligible right now. He can take a player option for $37.3 million and play out next season, but he’ll need to produce well to secure his long-term future in the league. Holiday is supposedly the final piece of a Celtics squad that is ready to win a title this season.
If they fail on account of his inconsistent offense, his value would severely drop. But if they win based on his perimeter aggression and steady point guard play, either the Celtics or some other team in the NBA will be forking out their wallet for him next season upon the declining of his player option. If he fails, he could play with the uncertainty of an expiring contract in 2025 at the age of 35. This season is crucial for Holiday.
5. James Harden
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One of the most obvious candidates for this list was James Harden, who is on an expiring $35.6 million contract this season. That was a pay cut for Harden when he signed it last summer, but he did it under the impression a bigger contract was headed his way. With the 76ers reneging on that, Harden’s current trade drama could lead to a dark cloud forming over his future in the NBA. He needs to have a productive year on the court, regardless of where he is, to get a team to offer him a long-term extension.
If Harden just comes back to the 76ers and plays out his contract, he could be in line for a big contract next summer. They are still a contending group and Harden’s presence is crucial for them to make any sort of noise in the East.
He led the league in assists while averaging 21.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 10.7 assists last season, proving he has a lot to offer on the court. It’s just that he can’t be skipping training camp and holding out for a trade when his future in the NBA is in jeopardy.
4. Russell Westbrook
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Russell Westbrook already took one of the biggest pay cuts in NBA history, going from nearly $48 million last season with the Lakers to $3.8 million with the Clippers this season. His value took a big tumble over the last season, but Westbrook is on a team where he has the best opportunity to showcase his talents in a winning setup.
He can be a free agent again next season and could entice a rebuilding team with cap room to give him a lucrative short-term contract (like Fred VanVleet with the Rockets) or a long-term extension with good value in LA. Unless the Clippers acquire a point guard, Westbrook can be the starting guard for a possible contender. All he needs to do is show the league he isn’t the stub𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧, one-dimensional player we saw with the Lakers.
His playmaking ability led to winning moments for the Clippers, as he added aggression on the court that helped the team succeed. His mental intangibles alone could be worth more than what he’s on this season, and he’ll need a big year to return to equitable money.
3. Klay Thompson
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Klay Thompson is the only member of the Warriors core without a long-term extension in hand. He just saw the team shed long-term salary by trading away Jordan Poole for the expiring contract of Chris Paul, opening up room for him to get a solid extension from the franchise. He’s making $43.2 million this season but may have to account for a pay cut if he can’t play up his value.
Draymond Green just took a $25 million-a-year deal after proclaiming himself to be a max contract player, so Thompson may be in line for something around that if he can’t have a big season. He was great last regular season, averaging 21.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists.
Unfortunately, he took a dip in the playoffs and only averaged 16.2 points on 34.3% from the field against the Lakers. With a big season ahead in Golden State, Thompson needs to solidify himself as Stephen Curry’s No. 2 to secure his future on the franchise that drafted him 12 years ago.
2. Paul George
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Paul George is one half of a Clippers story that is exceedingly frustrating for the fanbase. His quality on the court hasn’t been in question since his 2020 Playoffs blunder, but his health has. He’s played 161 games in four seasons as a Clipper, with a 63.4% participation rate. That number will have to go up if the Clippers can trust George with a long-term contract.
He averaged 23.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 5.1 assists last season, proving good value on the court. His production hasn’t been in question, but his health has. He and teammate Kawhi Leonard make $ 45.6 million, and both have $48.7 million player options at the end of the season.
George needs this season to be a year with good health to either entice the Clippers into an extension or make him feel comfortable enough to go into free agency and earn a lot of money from someone else.
1. Kawhi Leonard
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What Kawhi Leonard provides on the court is indisputable. He is one of the best two-way players of his generation and guarantees solid offense with exceptional defense when he’s healthy. Unfortunately, he isn’t healthy that often. He has played 161 games out of a total of 298 since joining the Clippers. That means Kawhi’s been available for only 54.02% of the games the team has played since his arrival.
With the championship window closing, will the Clippers extend Kawhi on a big-money contract this season? Similar to George, Kawhi needs to have a healthy season where the Clippers can be competitive in the postseason to assure the team of his value.
With the franchise moving into a new arena at the end of the year, they’ll need someone like Kawhi to be the name on the marquee. That’s only valuable if he’s playing often, which will be tested this season. He doesn’t have to like the player participation policy, but he will have to respect it to ensure his financial future in the league can be secured.
