Five veteran NBA contract extensions to watch, including Luka Doncic, Kevin Durant

Contract extensions have already been the story of the offseason. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander got a historic one — four years, $272.4 million, with him making more than $70 million in the final two seasons — and the Thunder also locked up Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren with ones. Devin Booker secured a massive extension, demonstrating his commitment to the Suns, while Nikola Jokić decided to wait a year. In contrast, LeBron James and the Lakers didn’t extend his contract, instead, he simply picked up his option. The Pacers never extended Myles Turner and now he’s a Buck.

That doesn’t mean the drama is over. Here are five veteran contract extensions that will come up in the next month and are worth keeping an eye on.

Luka Doncic (Lakers)

On Aug. 2, the Lakers can offer Doncic a four-year, $223 million extension.

There are media members and others online who want to create a lot more drama and stress here — “he didn’t ask to be traded to the Lakers” or “he may choose not to sign it” — than any reasonable reading of the situation suggests.

While stunned by the trade when it happened, Doncic has never spoken ill of the Lakers organization. To the contrary, he has praised the Lakers and said he looked forward to meeting and working with new owner Mark Walter. Doncic has also worked this summer to help recruit Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart to Los Angeles.

Remember what every agent of a superstar tells their client in this moment: Sign for the most money you can get now, if you want out, we can always push for a trade in a year or two.

All that said, don’t expect Doncic to sign for the full four-year max on Aug. 2.

He is expected to sign a three-year, $165 million max (or three plus a player option) because in three years he will have reached 10 years in the league and then can sign the 35% of the salary cap max (the most the Lakers or any team could offer right now is 30%). Also, because the Aug. 2 date falls during the EuroBasket championships where he will be playing with Slovenia, he could put off signing the deal until he returns to the United States in September (this has happened before).

Just expect him to sign with the Lakers.

Kevin Durant

The Houston Rockets acquired Kevin Durant this summer and can offer him a two-year, $122.1 million extension.

The Rockets wanted Durant, and Houston was on Durant’s short list of places he wanted to get traded. When asked about the organization, Durant praised the Rockets. There is no doubt that an extension will be completed, and the sides have until next June to finalize it.

The only question is whether Durant will take a bit of a haircut on the extension to save the suddenly very expensive Rockets some money. Don’t be surprised if Durant’s extension number ultimately comes in $10 million, give or take, below that max number — he’s still going to get paid, but may be willing to help his new franchise out and keep a contender together a little longer.

Trae Young

The Atlanta Hawks can offer Young a four-year, $228.6 million max extension this offseason.

The Hawks have retooled their roster this summer into one that could well be a top-four team in the East. They traded for Kristaps Porzingis, who brings much-needed paint protection and shot blocking to Atlanta, plus he will be a natural pick-and-pop partner with Young (if Porzingis can stay healthy, a big “if”). Nickeil Alexander-Walker is a quality addition on the wing, not only because he can shoot, but also because paired with Dyson Daniels it gives the Hawks an elite wing defense. Luke Kennard adds even more shooting. On top of all that, the biggest Atlanta addition next season is getting Jalen Johnson back healthy. Gets some growth with Zaccharie Risacher in his second year and this is a good team.

Young at the point leading this core makes sense, but at max money? Is Young a max player? Young was an All-Star last season, averaging 24.2 points and a league-high 11.6 assists per game while shooting 34% from beyond the arc. However, he also had a league-high 355 turnovers (4.7 per game), and he is a minus defender targeted by other teams.

Expect an extension to get done, but don’t be so sure it pays him more than $50 million a season, certainly not for the full four years. One option to watch for: A shorter-term deal, maybe two years after Young’s $49 million option for next year (a two-year deal at $105 million) that lets everyone reset in a couple of years. There is no timeline pressure here — the sides can agree to an extension for almost a year (up to June 30, 2026). The risk for the Hawks in waiting is that Young could decline his player option and become a free agent next summer, which would be a bad outcome for them (losing him for nothing).

De’Aaron Fox

On Aug. 3, the San Antonio Spurs can offer Fox a four-year, $229 million max extension.

When San Antonio traded for Fox at the February deadline, that outcome seemed a foregone conclusion. The Spurs pictured Fox and Victor Wembanyama as the core of the contender they were building. Then the Spurs missed the playoffs and the NBA lottery gods gifted them with the No. 2 pick and promising point guard Dylan Harper.

Now the Spurs’ “problem” is figuring out how to fit Fox, Harper and reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle together in the same backcourt — that’s a good problem to have. San Antonio did the right thing and drafted the best player on the board in Harper, regardless of position, and they can figure out the fit as they go.

The question with Fox’s extension becomes this: If he is ultimately the guy left standing without a chair when the music stops, trading a four-year max contract will be challenging. At best. Can San Antonio convince Fox to take a shorter, two-year contract, one that has him hitting free agency (or getting another extension from the Spurs) when he hits 10 years of service in the league and can go after a 35% max (rather than his current 30% of the salary cap)? That shorter contract is also more tradable. Fox, also may prefer the security of a longer deal.

This may be all about nothing, in the end the most likely outcome is the Spurs offer Fox the four-year max and he signs it. But this is now something worth watching.

Mikal Bridges

New York can offer Mikal Bridges a four-year, $156 million contract extension, but a couple of things are keeping that from becoming reality.

One is the longshot hope that Giannis Antetokounmpo decides he wants out of Milwaukee, because sending Bridges to the Bucks would likely be a big part of that deal, something Knicks insider Ian Begley recently wrote. The problem with this idea is that Antetokounmpo himself said he would “probably” stay with Milwaukee, and that’s what people around the league have come to expect.

The other holdup is the money, which is tied to how new coach Mike Brown might use Bridges. His play with the Knicks last season did not warrant a four-year extension at nearly $39 million per season, on average, but part of that was due to how Tom Thibodeau used him, as well as the rocky relationship. Bridges averaged 17.6 points per game and played solid defense, including two game-winning defensive plays in the playoffs against Boston.

It ultimately comes down to how Brown plans to utilize Bridges and how he fits into the rotation. If Brown doesn’t see a fit, expect the Knicks to look for a trade or try to get him to take a Jalen Brunson-like contract discount. If Brown sees a larger role for Bridges, it comes down to finding a number. It’s all something to watch.