Halloween falls on a Thursday this year, which means that as of tomorrow, we're five weeks away from the 2013 rookie scale extension deadline. 2010 first-round picks still on their rookie scale deals will be eligible for extensions up until that day — if they don't work out long-term pacts with their respective teams by then, they'll hit the free agent market next summer.
Typically, teams will negotiate extensions with eligible players right up until the 11th hour. A year ago, Blake Griffin quickly agreed to a maximum extension with the Clippers, and the Thunder and Serge Ibaka worked out a long-term contract in August. But the other six players who signed rookie scale extensions all had their deals finalized on either October 30th or 31st.
This offseason though, there has been a little more early action than usual. So far, three players have officially inked long-term extensions, while another one could do so within the next week. Let's catch up with this year's extension-eligible players and see which guys have new contracts, which ones could still work something out, and which ones may have to wait until next summer for a new deal….
Done:
Paul George (Pacers): Five years, maximum salary (eligible for 30% max if named to 2013/14 All-NBA team)
Larry Sanders (Bucks): Four years, $44MM
John Wall (Wizards): Five years, maximum salary (eligible for 30% max if named 2013/14 MVP)
The new deals for George and Wall ensure this is the third straight time that multiple extension-eligible players have received max deals of some kind. Last year, it was Griffin and Harden; the year before that, Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, and Kevin Love all signed for max salaries.
Likely:
DeMarcus Cousins (Kings)
Cousins and the Kings are said to be nearing an agreement, which could be finalized before training camp even opens. We'll see just how all-in the new ownership group is on Cousins when the details of his contract emerge, but there's a decent chance the big man becomes the third extension candidate of the offseason to receive the five-year max, making him his team's designated player.
Up in the air:
Eric Bledsoe (Suns)
Derrick Favors (Jazz)
Gordon Hayward (Jazz)
Greg Monroe (Pistons)
Greivis Vasquez (Kings)
Some of these possibilities are more likely than others. Negotiations are ongoing for Favors and Hayward, and I'd be surprised if the Jazz didn't extend at least one of the two. But I'm not sure the Suns will commit long-term to Bledsoe before he plays a game in a Phoenix uniform, and the same can be said for Vasquez and the Kings. Monroe, meanwhile, may be headed for restricted free agency in 2014, given agent David Falk's aversion to early extensions.
Unlikely:
Trevor Booker (Wizards)
Avery Bradley (Celtics)
Jordan Crawford (Celtics)
Ed Davis (Grizzlies)
Patrick Patterson (Kings)
Quincy Pondexter (Grizzlies)
Kevin Seraphin (Wizards)
Evan Turner (76ers)
Ekpe Udoh (Bucks)
Last fall, Taj Gibson's four-year, $32MM was the smallest of the eight rookie scale extensions, but it's not always just big-name players who sign new deals. In recent years, players like Kosta Koufos, Jared Dudley, and Thabo Sefolosha have inked extensions more in the mid-level range, so it's possible some of the guys above will sign similar pacts. For now though, there's no indication that anything is imminent. Bradley represents the likeliest candidate of this group, but he's coming off an underwhelming season, so the Celtics seem to prefer a wait-and-see approach.
For more details on this year's extension-eligible players, be sure to check out our Extension Candidate series.
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