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The record for richest NBA contract is staying in Boston—for now.
On Friday, Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. missed out on All-NBA honors, which would have made him eligible for a five-year, $345 million extension.
Had he signed it, the deal would have surpassed Tatum’s $315 million extension in 2024 and Brown’s $304 million deal the summer before. The 6-foot-10 forward became on the cusp of supermax eligible after being named to two All-Defensive teams in addition to winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2023. Since he missed out on All-NBA honors, Jackson is now only able to sign for a maximum of four years and $147 million.
Both Jackson and the Grizzlies were having contract extension talks last summer, but decided in October to postpone them until the end of the season. Now Jackson returns to the negotiating table with about $200 million off of it.
He is set to earn $23 million in 2025–26 in the final year of his contract before becoming an unrestricted free agent.
Jackson fell several votes short of the All-NBA third team. He received 52 third-team votes and one second-team vote. James Harden, the last player to make the third team, received 56 third-team votes and four second-team votes.
The lone player who got a raise from All-NBA honors was Pistons star guard Cade Cunningham. He will see his contract increase by $45 million in light of making All-NBA third team. Similarly to Evan Mobley, who got the same raise by winning Defensive Player of the Year, Cunningham’s five-year, $224 million extension now increases to $269 million—a $9 million per year bump—at 30% of the league’s salary cap instead of 25%. Next season the Pistons will have $8 million less in cap space accordingly.
Thunder forward Jalen Williams did not have any immediate financial gains from his first All-NBA selection but he could if he gets it again in the next two seasons. The 12th pick in the 2022 draft, Williams current rookie contract is for four years and $20.25 million; he is making less than $5 million this season. Williams would be eligible to sign a five-year extension worth up to $247 million next summer if he repeats the honor or wins MVP or Defensive Player of the Year.
The Thunder are currently up 2–0 on the Timberwolves in the Western Conference finals and still have one big extension to handle. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the team’s star player, was named NBA MVP on Wednesday and is eligible to sign a four-year, $293 million contract extension this summer. Just like the Celtics have a $620 million duo, the small-market Thunder could have two players cost them $540 million soon.
