As we explain in our glossary entry on veteran contract extensions, rookie scale extensions have historically been the most common form of contract extension in the NBA. However, the league’s latest Collective Bargaining Agreement loosened the rules on eligibility for veteran extensions and made them more financially advantageous, especially for players who don’t expect mega-deals.
As a result, we’ve seen a substantial bump in veteran contract extensions in recent seasons. During the 2021/22 league year, 21 players signed them, and there’s a chance that number will be eclipsed in ’22/23.
[RELATED: 2022/23 NBA Contract Extension Tracker]
Certain extension-eligible players, including perhaps Fred VanVleet, may prefer to wait until free agency to sign a new contract, since the biggest raise VanVleet can receive on an extension would be far less than the maximum contract he’d be eligible to earn on the open market.
The maximum starting salary a player like VanVleet can receive in a veteran extension is up to 120% of his current salary. A player on a more modest contract can receive a maximum starting salary worth up to 120% of the NBA’s estimated average salary.
For this season, 120% of the estimated average salary would work out to a $12,950,400 salary in the first year of a contract extension. A player who signs an extension that fits that bill could get up to four years and $58,017,792. Jakob Poeltl and Naz Reid are among the players eligible for that sort of deal.
Now that the regular season is underway, the number of veterans eligible for contract extensions has shrunk, since players with more than one year left on their contracts aren’t permitted to sign an in-season extension. But there are still a number of veterans in the final year of their respective contracts who remain eligible for extensions right up until the last day of the current league year.
Listed below are the players who meet the criteria for a veteran extension. Players who were recently traded can be extended, but they have to wait for six months after the trade to sign a contract longer than three total years (including the current season) with a raise exceeding 5%. If a player below is noted as having “limited” eligibility until a certain date, that’s why.
Once a player regains his full extension eligibility, he becomes eligible to sign an extension of up to five total years (including the current season) with a 20% first-year raise (or 20% of the estimated average salary).
Additionally, extension-eligible players with a player or team option for 2023/24 would have to eliminate that option year as part of an extension agreement in order to meet the necessary criteria.
Here’s the full list of veterans currently eligible for contract extensions:
Atlanta Hawks
- None
Boston Celtics
- None
Brooklyn Nets
Charlotte Hornets
- None
Chicago Bulls
Cleveland Cavaliers
- Caris LeVert
- Cedi Osman
- Lamar Stevens
- 2023/24 team option must be declined.
Dallas Mavericks
- Kyrie Irving
- Limited eligibility.
- Dwight Powell
- Christian Wood
Denver Nuggets
- None
Detroit Pistons
- None
Golden State Warriors
- Draymond Green
- 2023/24 player option must be declined.
Houston Rockets
- Kenyon Martin Jr.
- 2023/24 team option must be declined.
Indiana Pacers
Los Angeles Clippers
- Mason Plumlee
- Limited eligibility.
Los Angeles Lakers
- Malik Beasley
- Limited eligibility; 2023/24 team option must be declined.
- D’Angelo Russell
- Limited eligibility.
Memphis Grizzlies
- Dillon Brooks
- Xavier Tillman
- 2023/24 team option must be declined.
Miami Heat
- None
Milwaukee Bucks
- Jae Crowder
- Limited eligibility.
- Brook Lopez
- Khris Middleton
- 2023/24 player option must be declined.
Minnesota Timberwolves
New Orleans Pelicans
- Naji Marshall
- 2023/24 team option must be declined.
New York Knicks
- None
Oklahoma City Thunder
- Dario Saric
- Limited eligibility.
Orlando Magic
- None
Philadelphia 76ers
- Jalen McDaniels
- Limited eligibility.
- Shake Milton
- Paul Reed
Phoenix Suns
- None
Portland Trail Blazers
Sacramento Kings
San Antonio Spurs
Toronto Raptors
- Jakob Poeltl
- Limited eligibility.
- Fred VanVleet
- 2023/24 player option must be declined.
Utah Jazz
- Jordan Clarkson
- 2023/24 player option must be declined.
Washington Wizards
- Kyle Kuzma
- 2023/24 player option must be declined.
- Kristaps Porzingis
- 2023/24 player option must be declined.