Victor Wembanyama is the definition of a no-brainer max extension for the Spurs — and the two sides have agreed to just that, a five-year, $252 million extension, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.
However, the key for the Spurs is that Wembanyama agreed to no escalators, Charania reports, and that could save the Spurs more than $50 million over the course of this deal. What the sides have agreed to is the 25% of the salary cap max. However, Wembanyama, a First-Team All-NBA selection and reigning unanimous Defensive Player of the Year, would very likely qualify for a Rose rule 30% max contract, estimated to start at $53.5 million and be worth more than $300 million over the course of the five-year contract.
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Essentially, Wemby left $50 million on the table to help the Spurs build out the roster around him. Wembanyama hinted about this on social media.
The impact of the current CBA and the punitive tax apron system has become a hot topic around the NBA. The Knicks just won a title in part because Jalen Brunson took $113 million off the max he could have asked for, giving the Knicks’ front office some room to bring in other players. Celtics president Brad Stevens said that trading away Jaylen Brown was, in part, because of the challenges of building out their roster with two supermax players (Brown and Jayson Tatum).
Wembanyama and the Spurs worked together to secure a healthy payday for Wembanyama, averaging a little more than $50 million per season, while retaining some flexibility, Charania reports.
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Wembanyama averaged 25 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.1 blocked shots a game last season, finished third in MVP voting and was unanimously voted the Defensive Player of the Year. It’s become evident that very soon — maybe by next season — he will be the best player walking the face of the earth, and other teams have to plan how to handle him, not just in a specific game but for how they build their rosters.
Getting that player on any kind of discount is a steal for the Spurs and generous of Wembanyama.
