NBA free company unresolved storylines – Kuminga’s future, massive extensions

Precisely one month for the reason that 2025 NBA draft, a number of the largest strikes of the summer season have already unfolded.

From Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper being chosen on the high of the draft by the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs, respectively, to celebrity gamers reminiscent of Kevin Durant, Desmond Bane, Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday and Myles Turner altering groups by way of commerce and free company, it has been an eventful few weeks throughout the affiliation.

However that does not imply the whole lot has been decided. So, with that in thoughts, here is a take a look at a number of the largest unresolved extension and restricted free company selections of the 2025 offseason, starting with a celebrity extension candidate on the league’s largest stage:

Will Luka Doncic signal an extension in August?

Arguably, the largest story hanging over the league is the looming Aug. 2 date when Doncic, who arrived in Los Angeles virtually six months in the past in one of the stunning trades in NBA historical past, can signal an extension to stay a Laker previous subsequent summer season.

If Doncic chooses to not prolong, he can change into an unrestricted free agent subsequent July — that might instantly make him essentially the most impactful participant to hit the open market since Kawhi Leonard in 2019. The Lakers, naturally, wouldn’t need to see a repeat of that scenario when Leonard left the Toronto Raptors — contemporary off successful Finals MVP and main Toronto to its solely NBA championship — to affix the LA Clippers.

How might Doncic’s scenario play out? If he chooses to signal an extension, he might be eligible for a four-year, $222 million contract that might tie him to the Lakers by means of the top of the last decade.

However one of the best monetary path for Doncic can be to signal a short-term deal — in all probability a three-year, $160 million extension with a participant choice for the 2028-29 season. By signing for 2 extra years, Doncic might doubtlessly signal a deal in 2028 for 35% of the wage cap — a deal that, at the moment, might be a five-year, $369 million contract.

And for any Lakers followers uneasy about Doncic’s degree of funding in Los Angeles, simply check out what Marcus Smart mentioned about how he wound up signing with the franchise.

“Whenever you get a man like Luka calling … checking on you, attempting to see the place you are at, to see if you wish to come be a part of one thing particular that he is attempting to cook dinner up over right here,” Smart said this week. “For him to say that he can actually use my assist, that meant lots.”

What’s subsequent for lingering restricted free brokers?

There’s a cause 25 gamers signed rookie extensions over the previous two years, together with 11 in 2024: Restricted free company isn’t any place to be.

It is why Josh Giddey, Quentin Grimes, Jonathan Kuminga and Cam Thomas proceed to sit down in a holding sample.

All 4 gamers have been affected by the shortage of cap house throughout the league. No workforce (apart from the Brooklyn Nets, Thomas’ former workforce) has greater than $14.1 million of the non-tax midlevel exception to spend. That has left this quartet of restricted free brokers with a selection: compromise on their subsequent contract or proceed to attend.

Kuminga’s choices are restricted by the shortage of total spending and the truth that the Golden State Warriors might be hard-capped on the first-apron if he’s signed and traded. The Warriors are at the moment $25 million under the primary apron and have taken a again seat to free company till the Kuminga scenario is resolved. They at the moment have six open roster spots.

Grimes is in an analogous place. The most effective accessible capturing guard continues to be with out a residence largely due to the Philadelphia 76ers‘ funds. Though they’ve made minimal signings this offseason (Trendon Watford, Eric Gordon, Kyle Lowry and Justin Edwards), Philadelphia has held off utilizing the $5.7 million tax midlevel exception due to second apron issues. If Philadelphia used the exception, it will then laborious cap itself on the second apron. The workforce is at the moment $19.5 million under with out Grimes.

If a compromise will not be reached, the fallback is to signal the one-year qualifying provide. Giddey ($11.1 million), Grimes ($8.5 million), Kuminga ($8 million) and Thomas ($6 million) have till Oct. 1 to signal their contracts. If they do not, the contract is now not legitimate (except it’s prolonged), and every participant stays a restricted free agent.

There’s a double-edged sword to signing the qualifying provide. Whereas they might be an unrestricted free agent within the 2026 offseason, every participant loses Hen rights in the event that they approve a commerce to a brand new workforce through the season. (The final time a participant signed the qualifying provide was Miles Bridges in 2023.)

What different key veteran extension selections are on the market?

Doncic’s scenario deserves consideration, however he is removed from the one veteran going through the potential for extending this summer season.

The largest identify concerned in extension discussions is Durant, who was traded to the Houston Rockets final month after spending the previous 2½ years with the Phoenix Suns. Durant can signal a two-year extension for a most of $118 million. If Durant does not agree to 1, he, like Doncic, can change into an unrestricted free agent subsequent summer season.

There are two different notable level guards to observe in extension discussions. The primary is De’Aaron Fox — who, like Doncic, modified groups in February when he was traded from the Sacramento Kings to the San Antonio Spurs. Additionally like Doncic, Fox will change into eligible for a four-year, $222 million extension on Aug. 3. Then there’s Atlanta Hawks‘ star Trae Young, who has one yr left on his contract earlier than he can change into a free agent (he has a $48.9 million participant choice for the 2026-27 season).

Atlanta has had an excellent summer and has an opportunity at a top-four seed within the Japanese Convention subsequent season. However is there an extension to be achieved with Younger that is sensible? The Hawks have been good in spreading round their future monetary commitments and doubtless would need to do the identical with Younger, the franchise’s finest participant since Corridor of Famer Dominique Wilkins.

Different attention-grabbing gamers to observe embrace Mikal Bridges, who has one yr left on his contract, and Karl-Anthony Towns, who has two, and might be prolonged by the New York Knicks. The identical goes for P.J. Washington in Dallas, who might signal a four-year deal for as much as $89 million. Tyler Herro, who has two years left on his contract, is eligible to increase with the Miami Heat beginning Oct. 1. Toumani Camara of the Portland Trail Blazers can be a candidate, although extending him would make it tougher for the Blazers to create important cap room subsequent summer season. One other low-priced extension to observe is Milwaukee‘s AJ Green, as normal supervisor Jon Horst has talked publicly about eager to get a deal achieved to maintain the guard in a Bucks uniform.

What are the rookie extensions to observe?

To this point, 4 gamers from the 2022 draft — Paolo Banchero, Chet Holmgren, Jabari Smith Jr. and Jalen Williams — have signed long-term extensions. Over the subsequent couple of months, the main target will shift to the remaining 17 extension-eligible gamers from that class.

But when the previous two years are an indicator, anticipate a quiet August and September.

Out of the 25 gamers who signed rookie extensions within the earlier two offseasons, 16 had been signed in October, with 14 coming simply earlier than the common season started. As one Japanese Convention government advised ESPN: “The mix of gamers confronted with a deadline and the lure of assured cash normally ends in a compromise.”

There are a number of attention-grabbing names to observe, together with Hawks guard Dyson Daniels, Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun, Rockets ahead Tari Eason, Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin, Suns middle Mark Williams, Path Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe, Kings ahead Keegan Murray and Utah Jazz middle Walker Kessler.

The Nuggets buying and selling Michael Porter Jr. and Indiana not re-signing Myles Turner have opened the monetary flexibility to signal Braun and Mathurin to long-term offers.

The Pacers have been aggressive in signing their very own gamers to extensions the previous two seasons however have achieved so inside funds. Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith and T.J. McConnell have signed new contracts. Haliburton is the one participant of the 4 with a beginning wage over $20 million.

Outstanding veterans can be found late in free company yearly, and this time isn’t any exception. Gamers reminiscent of Ben Simmons, Malcolm Brogdon, Chris Boucher and Gary Payton II stay unsigned. However the largest identify is Westbrook, a former MVP.

After spending his first 11 seasons with the Thunder, Westbrook has now performed on 5 groups up to now six seasons: the Rockets, Washington Wizards, Lakers, Clippers and most not too long ago the Nuggets. And, after opting out of his participant choice for subsequent season, the expectation was that Westbrook would have a workforce by now.

Westbrook stays a proficient and productive participant whilst he approaches his thirty seventh birthday, averaging 13.3 factors, 4.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists in virtually 28 minutes final season. However his must play on the ball and his struggles as a shooter make him a clumsy match on most contending rosters. It is laborious to think about Westbrook off an NBA roster subsequent season, and loads of veterans signal minimal offers in August. However till the long run Corridor of Famer does land someplace, the league might be watching.