Hoops Rumors Originals

2018 NBA Offseason Trades

As we did with last year’s offseason trades and the in-season swaps from 2017/18, Hoops Rumors will be keeping track of all of the trades made this offseason, right up until the start of the 2018/19 season, updating this post with each transaction.

Trades are listed here in reverse chronological order, with the latest on top. So, if a player has been traded multiple times, the first team listed as having acquired him is the one that ended up with him.

If a trade has not yet been formally finalized, it won’t be listed here. So, if a deal agreed upon during the draft in June isn’t made official until the new league year, it will show up on our list after it’s completed in July.

For our full story on each trade, click on the date above it. For more information on the specific conditions dictating if and when draft picks involved in these deals will actually change hands, be sure to check out RealGM.com’s breakdown of the details on traded picks.

Here’s the full list of the NBA’s 2018 offseason trades:


2018/19 League Year

October 15

  • Bucks acquire Jodie Meeks, the Wizards’ 2020 second-round pick (46-60 protected), and cash ($1.5MM).
  • Wizards acquire the Wizards’ 2020 second-round pick (top-55 protected).

October 15

August 31

August 7

August 2

  • Mavericks acquire Chinanu Onuaku, cash ($1,544,951), and the right to swap the Warriors’ 2020 second-round pick for the Rockets’ 2020 second-round pick.
  • Rockets acquire the draft rights to Maarty Leunen.

July 25

July 23

July 23

July 23

July 20

July 20

July 20

July 18

July 17

July 13

July 13

  • Hawks acquire Jeremy Lin, the Nets’ 2025 second-round pick, and the right to swap 2023 second-round picks with the Nets.
  • Nets acquire the rights to Isaia Cordinier and the Trail Blazers’ 2020 second-round pick (top-55 protected).

July 8

  • Magic acquire Timofey Mozgov and Jerian Grant.
  • Hornets acquire Bismack Biyombo, either the Wizards’ or Nuggets’ 2019 second-round pick (whichever is less favorable; from Magic), and either the Nets’ or Knicks’ 2020 second-round pick (whichever is less favorable; from Magic).
  • Bulls acquire Julyan Stone.

July 6

  • Sixers acquire Wilson Chandler, the Nuggets’ 2021 second-round pick, and the right to swap 2022 second-round picks with the Nuggets.
  • Nuggets acquire cash ($110K).

July 6

  • Thunder acquire the draft rights to Hamidou Diallo (No. 45 pick).
  • Hornets acquire the Thunder’s 2019 second-round pick and cash ($243K).
  • Agreed upon in June

July 6

July 6

  • Lakers acquire the draft rights to Isaac Bonga (No. 39 pick).
  • Sixers acquire the Bulls’ 2019 second-round pick and cash ($1.5MM).
  • Agreed upon in June.

2017/18 League Year

June 26

June 22

  • Rockets acquire the draft rights to Vince Edwards (No. 52 pick).
  • Jazz acquire cash ($1.5MM).

June 21

June 21

  • Nuggets acquire the draft rights to Jarred Vanderbilt (No. 41 pick).
  • Magic acquire the draft rights to Justin Jackson (No. 43 pick) and either the Nuggets’ or Wizards’ 2019 second-round pick (whichever is less favorable).
    • Note: The Nuggets’ 2019 second-round pick would be sent to Milwaukee if it falls between 56-60, in which case the Magic would receive the Wizards’ second-rounder.

June 21

  • Pistons acquire the draft rights to Khyri Thomas (No. 38 pick).
  • Sixers acquire the Pistons’ 2021 second-round pick and the Pistons’ 2023 second-round pick.

June 21

  • Trail Blazers acquire the draft rights to Gary Trent Jr. (No. 37 pick).
  • Kings acquire either the Timberwolves’ or Lakers’ 2019 second-round pick (whichever is more favorable), the Heat’s 2021 second-round pick, and cash ($1.5MM).

June 21

  • Hornets acquire the draft rights to Devonte’ Graham (No. 34 pick).
  • Hawks acquire the Hornets’ 2019 second-round pick and the Hornets’ 2023 second-round pick.

June 21

  • Suns acquire the draft rights to Mikal Bridges (No. 10 pick).
  • Sixers acquire the draft rights to Zhaire Smith (No. 16 pick) and the Heat’s 2021 first-round pick (unprotected).

June 21

  • Clippers acquire the draft rights to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (No. 11 pick)
  • Hornets acquire the draft rights to Miles Bridges (No. 12 pick), the Cavaliers’ 2020 second-round pick, and the Clippers’ 2021 second-round pick.

June 21

  • Mavericks acquire the draft rights to Luka Doncic (No. 3 pick).
  • Hawks acquire the draft rights to Trae Young (No. 5 pick) and the Mavericks’ 2019 first-round pick (top-5 protected).

The Ripple Effect Of The Salary Cap Increase

We’ll soon find out what the NBA’s exact salary cap figure for 2018/19 will be, but for now the projection for next season remains at $101MM, a modest increase over 2017/18’s $99.093MM figure. The cap is unlikely to fall precisely at $101,000,000, but if it does, it will represent an increase of approximately 1.92% over the previous season, which is important.

Under the NBA’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement, several other figures are tied to how much the salary cap increases on a year-to-year basis. If the cap goes up by 1.92%, those other figures will increase by 1.92% too.

Once the NBA makes the salary cap for 2018/19 official, we’ll be able to fill in the blanks and determine what a number of other exceptions and salaries will be worth. Until then, here’s a breakdown of some of the other figures impacted by the cap increase:

Mid-level, bi-annual, and room exceptions:

The mid-level and bi-annual exceptions are available to teams over the cap and under the tax apron. The room exception is available for teams that use cap space, while the taxpayer mid-level exception is for taxpaying teams. All of these exceptions will increase by the same percentage that the cap does.

For instance, in 2017/18, the full mid-level exception for non-taxpaying clubs was worth $8,406,000. If the cap increases to $101MM for 2018/19, the MLE next season will be worth $8,567,770. In the unlikely event that the cap jumps by 5%, the mid-level would be worth $8,826,300.

The same applies to the rest of these exceptions. For example, the bi-annual exception in 2017/18 was worth $3,290,000. A $101MM cap would take it up to $3,353,315 for 2018/19.

Maximum salaries:

As was the case under the league’s old Collective Bargaining Agreement, maximum salaries hinge on the value of the salary cap, since they’re determined by calculating a percentage of the cap.

Maximum salaries can be worth 25%, 30%, or 35% of the cap, depending on a player’s years of experience and certain other criteria. So, in 2017/18, for a $99,093,000 cap, the three maximum salaries were $24,773,250 (25%), $29,727,900 (30%), and $34,682,550 (35%).

In 2018/19, those maximum-salary figures will increase along with the cap, which is why we don’t yet know what the first year of Andrew Wiggins‘ and Joel Embiid‘s new max extensions will be worth. Based on a $101MM cap projection, they’d have starting salaries of $25,250,000, but that number could change depending on where the cap lands.

Minimum salaries:

The NBA’s new CBA calls for minimum salaries to be dictated by the cap increase as well, which wasn’t the case under the old CBA.

Minimum salaries vary depending on how many years of NBA experience a player has, but in 2017/18, the rookie minimum was $815,615, while the minimum for a player with 10+ years of experience was worth all the way up to $2,328,652.

Assuming the 2018/19 cap falls exactly at $101,000,000, the rookie minimum would be $831,311, while the minimum for a players with 10+ years of experience would be $2,373,466.

The minimum salary for a player with two years of NBA experience is the one that shows up most frequently on teams’ cap sheets. That’s because a player with three-plus years of NBA experience who signs a one-year, minimum-salary contract only has a cap hit equivalent to the player with two years of experience — he earns a larger salary, but the league covers the difference.

In 2017/18, that cap charge for a player with two years of experience was $1,471,382. Based on a $101MM cap, it would be $1,499,698.

Cash available in trades:

The NBA limits the amount of money a team can send out and receive in a league year. In 2017/18, a team was limited to sending and receiving $5.1MM — those are two separate limits, so a club could send out $5.1MM in one trade, then take back $5.1MM in another.

That limit will be directly tied to the cap increase as well. Based on a $101MM cap, the limit would increase to $5,198,147 for 2018/19.

Rookie scale for first-round picks:

Each first-round pick is subject to the NBA’s rookie scale, which locks in a specific value for a player’s first NBA contract depending on where he was picked in the first round. For example, in 2017/18, No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz had a cap charge of $7,026,240 based on the rookie scale. On the other end of the spectrum, the first-year cap hit for No. 30 pick Josh Hart was just $1,394,520.

The NBA is currently phasing in a gradual increase in rookie salaries, so determining the 2018/19 scale isn’t as simple as factoring in the cap increase. As Larry Coon explains within the CBA FAQ, calculating next season’s rookie scale involves something called a “baseline scale.” The formula for determining the ’18/19 rookie scale is as follows:

  1. Apply the percentage of the cap change from 2017/18 to 2018/19 to the ’17/18 baseline scale to create an ’18/19 baseline scale.
  2. Increase the 2018/19 baseline scale by 30% to create the actual rookie scale.
  3. Increase the new rookie scale amounts by 20% to get the cap holds and likely salaries for 2018 first-rounders.

Based on a $101MM cap, the probable salary for this year’s No. 1 pick (Deandre Ayton) would jump to $8,095,595. This year’s 30th overall pick, Omari Spellman, would be in line for a $1,606,717 starting salary. Once again though, these figures could end up higher or lower, depending on where the cap for 2018/19 ultimately lands.

Larry Coon’s CBA FAQ was used in the creation of this post.

Notable Player Option Decisions Still To Come

The lack of salary cap space around the NBA this offseason has resulted in a substantial uptick in veterans exercising player options. In 2016, just three players picked up those options, while five followed suit in 2017. So far in 2018, 16 players have elected to opt into their contracts for 2018/19, and Spurs swingman Danny Green is expected to increase that number to 17.

Player option decisions are due by June 29, this Friday, and there are still several noteworthy decisions to come. Here’s a quick breakdown of the ones we’re still waiting on:

  • LeBron James, Cavaliers ($35,607,968): While it seems like a lock that James would opt out to reach free agency, exercising his option makes more sense if he wants to join certain over-the-cap teams, as we explained here. I still expect LeBron to opt out, but if he picks up this option, he’ll likely be doing so with a specific trade destination in mind.
  • DeAndre Jordan, Clippers ($24,119,025): Jordan is unlikely to get a $24MM starting salary in free agency, but if he could get a three- or four-year contract with an average annual value of $15-20MM, that might be preferable to opting in. His decision will have a huge impact on the Clippers’ offseason, since the club would be well over the cap with Jordan’s salary on its books.
  • Paul George, Thunder ($20,703,384): Of all the options on this list, George’s looks like the easiest call. Even if he wants to stay with the Thunder, he’s more likely to opt out and sign a new deal that starts at his max, $30.3MM. This option is a virtual lock to be declined.
  • Enes Kanter, Knicks ($18,622,514): Picking up the option is probably the right move for Kanter, who wouldn’t get an $18MM+ salary on the open market, but he has talked about opting out. As in Jordan’s case, turning down the option could mean accepting a lesser salary in 2018/19 in exchange for greater long-term security.
  • Thaddeus Young, Pacers ($13,764,045): Young is said to be strongly considering declining his option, and he’s another player who could seek a longer-term deal that increases his overall payday. For example, a new three-year, $30MM contract might appeal more to Young than finishing out a one-year, $13MM+ deal.
  • Garrett Temple, Kings ($8,000,000): Temple is coming off a solid year in Sacramento, but he’s 32 years old and isn’t a starting point guard, so opting in for an $8MM guarantee appears to be the right call.
  • Joffrey Lauvergne, Spurs ($1,656,092): Lauvergne is reportedly considering turning down his option. If he does so, there’s little downside — he’d simply have to find another minimum salary offer in order to match his option salary. The big man may not want to risk following in the footsteps of former Spur David Lee, who declined a minimum-salary player option last summer and then didn’t sign another NBA contract, but at age 26, Lauvergne should a safe bet to receive an offer.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Weekly Mailbag: 6/18/18 – 6/24/18

We have an opportunity for you to hit us up with your questions in this, our weekly mailbag feature. Have a question regarding player movement, the salary cap or the NBA draft? Drop us a line at HoopsRumorsMailbag@Gmail.com.

The Lakers drafted shooters who contribute little else. Are they drafting as if they know LeBron James is coming? — VJ Cruz, via Twitter

Let’s say they’re drafting as if they hope LeBron is coming. The Lakers took Michigan’s Moritz Wagner at No. 25, then got German point guard Isaac Bonga and Kansas’ Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk in the second round. They are primarily shooters, as you say, but shooting is a premium skill in the NBA and they could develop into useful players with or without James as a teammate. Really, the draft will have little impact on how the Lakers’ roster looks next season. All those questions will be answered in free agency.

Which player(s) were you shocked to not see drafted? — Ted, via Twitter

The late part of the draft tends to be unpredictable, with some teams looking for players to stash overseas and others thinking about their G League rosters. Still, there were a few highly rated names that it was surprising to see passed over. Kansas’ Malik Newman and Arizona’s Rawle Alkins were both productive scorers in college and seem worthy of second-round picks. Purdue’s Isaac Haas and UNLV’s Brandon McCoy are a couple of big men with good scoring touches around the basket. There are others, such as Cincinnati’s Gary Clark and TCU’s Kenrich Williams, but they’ll all get a chance to prove themselves in summer league, so being drafted barely matters.

With the Jazz showing this year that they can be competitive in the loaded Western Conference and their financial flexibility, how likely is it that they sign a big name free agent like DeMarcus Cousins or Paul George? — Faiz Irshad 

Utah has never been a popular free agent destination, which is more reflective on geography than the quality of the organization. Players like Cousins and George tend to gravitate to larger markets to enjoy the rewards that come with playing in a big city. The Jazz will likely use their cap room to pursue second-tier free agents, maybe someone like Tyreke Evans, who could provide scoring punch off the bench. Keeping Derrick Favors will also be a priority as he and Rudy Gobert developed into an effective frontcourt combination once Gobert returned from injury.

Community Shootaround: 2019 Rookie Of The Year

Thursday’s NBA draft lasted until almost midnight on the East Coast, but viewers who tuned out after the first hour probably got to see next season’s Rookie of the Year.

Apart from Malcolm Brogdon (taken at No. 36 in in 2016) and Michael Carter-Williams (No. 11 in 2013), every Rookie of the Year since 2004 has been a top-six pick. Donovan Mitchell could add his name to the list of exceptions, but Ben Simmons appears to be the favorite to collect the award on Monday.

This year’s first six picks could all emerge as strong candidates, as each figures to have a chance to contribute right away. Let’s take a closer look at the field:

  1. Deandre Ayton — The Suns have been searching for help in the middle for several years, and Ayton looks like a legitimate NBA center. He is the early ROY favorite, according to the Bovada Sportsbook, which gives him 13-5 odds.
  2. Marvin Bagley III — Whether Bagley becomes a power forward or small forward, he should provide much-needed scoring punch for the Kings’ front line. He was a dynamic scorer and rebounder at Duke, where he averaged a double-double during his lone season.
  3. Luka Doncic — The Mavericks believed in the teenage Euroleague MVP enough to trade up to snag him with the third pick. Some scouts question how easily Doncic’s skill set will translate to the NBA, but he will get ample playing time in Dallas to prove himself.
  4. Jaren Jackson Jr. — The shot-blocking specialist out of Michigan State will help anchor the Grizzlies’ defense alongside Marc Gasol. He also gives Memphis a strong rebounding presence at the four spot that has been lacking since Zach Randolph left.
  5. Trae Young — There should be plenty of excitement in Atlanta next season as Young takes control of the Hawks’ offense. His numbers declined during the second half of his freshman season at Oklahoma, but his limitless shooting range makes him a perfect fit in the modern NBA.
  6. Mohamed Bamba — He may not start right away with Nikola Vucevic and Bismack Biyombo on the roster, but Bamba should earn significant playing time because of his tremendous shot-blocking abilities. If he improves on offense, he could be the first-string center by the end of the season.

Those are the top candidates, but there could be plenty more, as Mitchell, Brogdon and Carter-Williams have shown. We want to get your picks, so please leave your choice in the comments box below.

Hoops Rumors Originals: 6/16/18 – 6/23/18

Every week, the Hoops Rumors writing team creates original content to complement our news feed. Here are our segments and features from the past seven days:

Community Shootaround: Draft Winners And Losers

The Mavericks traded up to get the player they wanted, while the Celtics sat still at No. 27 and watched the athletic big man they needed fall into their hands. Both teams were among the top winners at last night’s draft, according to Basketball Insiders.

Dallas made an aggressive effort to move up to No. 3 to grab EuroLeague star Luka Doncic, who will be an intriguing backcourt partner for Dennis Smith Jr. The Mavs were able to complete the deal without taking on Kent Bazemore‘s hefty contract from the Hawks, allowing them to retain the financial flexibility to search for a big man in free agency.

To get Robert Williams, the Celtics didn’t have to do anything except watch him slide down the draft board. Considered a potential lottery pick going in, Williams was passed over because teams had doubts about his competitive drive. There aren’t any questions about his defensive skills or rebounding abilities, which is what Boston hopes to maximize. Williams averaged 2.5 blocks and 3.0 offensive rebounds per game at Texas A&M and could give the Celtics a physical presence they’ve been lacking in the middle.

There were several more teams that maximized their assets Thursday night, according to the Basketball Insiders piece. The Hawks added two sharpshooters in the first round in Trae Young and Kevin Huerter; the Magic got a game-changing defender in Mohamed Bamba, along with Tulane’s Melvin Frazier; and the Suns picked up two potential starters in Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges.

USA Today’s Michael Singer also picks the Hawks among the draft night winners, along with the Knicks for taking Kevin Knox instead of gambling on Michael Porter Jr. at No. 9 and the Spurs, who may have uncovered a treasure at No. 18 in Lonnie Walker.

Singer also picks some losers in the draft, naming Porter, who dropped all the way to 14th because of concerns over the condition of his back; Bridges, who got traded away from the hometown team that employs his mother; and Williams, who nearly fell out of the first round.

We want to get your opinion. Who had the best night at the draft, and which team made a mistake it will regret for years to come? Please leave your responses in the comments section below.

Recap Of 2018 NBA Draft-Day Trades

In a somewhat unusual development, not a single NBA veteran changed teams on Thursday night. While several trades were completed, all of those deals involved the rights to newly-drafted players, future draft picks, and/or cash.

Listed below are all the trades that were agreed upon at some point on Thursday. While most of these deals were made official during or after the draft, one won’t be finalized until June, which we noted below.

Here’s the full list:

Mavericks/Hawks

  • Mavericks acquire the draft rights to Luka Doncic (No. 3 pick).
  • Hawks acquire the draft rights to Trae Young (No. 5 pick) and the Mavericks’ 2019 first-round pick (top-5 protected).

Suns/Sixers

  • Suns acquire the draft rights to Mikal Bridges (No. 10 pick).
  • Sixers acquire the draft rights to Zhaire Smith (No. 16 pick) and the Heat’s 2021 first-round pick (unprotected).

Clippers/Hornets

  • Clippers acquire the draft rights to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (No. 11 pick)
  • Hornets acquire the draft rights to Miles Bridges (No. 12 pick), the Cavaliers’ 2020 second-round pick, and the Clippers’ 2021 second-round pick.

Hornets/Hawks

  • Hornets acquire the draft rights to Devonte’ Graham (No. 34 pick).
  • Hawks acquire the Hornets’ 2019 second-round pick and the Hornets’ 2023 second-round pick.

Trail Blazers/Kings

  • Trail Blazers acquire the draft rights to Gary Trent Jr. (No. 37 pick).
  • Kings acquire either the Timberwolves’ or Lakers’ 2019 second-round pick (whichever is more favorable), the Heat’s 2021 second-round pick, and cash ($1.5MM).

Pistons/Sixers

  • Pistons acquire the draft rights to Khyri Thomas (No. 38 pick).
  • Sixers acquire the Pistons’ 2021 second-round pick and the Pistons’ 2023 second-round pick.

Nuggets/Magic

  • Nuggets acquire the draft rights to Jarred Vanderbilt (No. 41 pick).
  • Magic acquire the draft rights to Justin Jackson (No. 43 pick) and either the Nuggets’ or Wizards’ 2019 second-round pick (whichever is less favorable).
    • Note: The Nuggets’ 2019 second-round pick would be sent to Milwaukee if it falls between 56-60, in which case the Magic would receive the Wizards’ second-rounder.

Thunder/Hornets

  • Thunder acquire the draft rights to Hamidou Diallo (No. 45 pick).
  • Hornets acquire the Thunder’s 2019 second-round pick and cash.
  • Note: Trade won’t become official until the new league year, since No. 45 pick first has to be sent from Nets to Hornets.

Rockets/Jazz

  • Rockets acquire the draft rights to Vince Edwards (No. 52 pick).
  • Jazz acquire cash ($1.5MM).

Sixers/Mavericks

Note: Two other trades involving 2018 draft picks were agreed upon prior to draft day. We have separate stories on those Lakers/Sixers and Nets/Hornets swaps.

2018 NBA Offseason Previews By Team

The 2018 NBA offseason is officially in full swing, and over the last several weeks, Hoops Rumors has been previewing this summer’s roster moves and decisions for each of the league’s 30 teams, asking – and doing our best to answer – five key questions for every club.

Our previews for all 30 NBA teams are below:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Atlantic Division

Central Division

Southeast Division


WESTERN CONFERENCE

Northwest Division

Pacific Division

Southwest Division

Five Key Offseason Questions: Golden State Warriors

The Warriors continued to build a case in 2017/18 to be considered the most impressive NBA dynasty of the 21st century, taking home their third title in four years. Golden State now has a staggering 265-63 (.808) regular-season record since the start of the 2014/15 campaign, and if it weren’t for a collapse in the 2016 NBA Finals, the club would enter the 2018/19 season in search of its fifth straight championship.

No dynasty lasts forever, but three of the Warriors’ four stars remain under contract for 2018/19, and Kevin Durant is a virtual lock to re-sign once the new league year begins. As long as those four players remain on the roster, the organization’s championship window isn’t closing anytime soon.

Here are five key questions facing the franchise this summer:

1. What will Durant’s new contract look like?

An April report indicated that Durant would turn down his 2018/19 player option and sign a new deal with the Warriors, and the two-time Finals MVP essentially confirmed as much this month. Meanwhile, general manager Bob Myers has stated publicly that Golden State is willing to give Durant “whatever he wants” on his new contract after the star forward took a team-friendly discount a year ago.

Durant is in a somewhat unusual situation though, so there’s no obvious answer as to what he’ll want. Having agreed to 1+1 contracts in each of the last two summers, he’s ineligible to sign such a deal this year unless he once again settles for less than the maximum. The Early Bird exception prohibits players from signing one-year deals or two-year deals with a second-year option. In order to sign a contract with that structure, the club would have to use the Non-Bird exception, which would limit Durant’s salary to $30MM, well below his projected $35.35MM max.

As such, it might be time for Durant to sign a long-term max contract. However, without full Bird rights, he’s limited to four years rather than five. Of course, a four-year, maximum-salary deal would still result in a massive payday (approximately $158MM based on current cap projections), but if Durant is willing to wait one more year for long-term security, it might make sense for him to accept that one-year, $30MM contract for 2018/19.

In that scenario, Durant would be eligible for a five-year max contract a year from now, when the cap is expected to make a larger jump. If the cap increases to $108MM – the current projection – for 2019/20, a five-year deal could be worth up to approximately $219MM, which would make up for taking less than the max again in ’18/19.

2. Will the Warriors extend Klay Thompson and/or Draymond Green this offseason?

With Stephen Curry locked up for the next four seasons and Durant a candidate to sign a long-term contract this offseason, the Warriors’ focus could shift to their other two All-Stars. Green has two years and $36MM left on his current contract, while Thompson will earn $19MM in the final year of his deal in 2018/19. Both will be extension-eligible this summer.

In the wake of the Warriors’ NBA Finals win, owner Joe Lacob suggested that the team will make an effort to extend both Thompson and Green in the coming months, but one is a more realistic possibility than the other. Green, who says he took a modest discount on his last deal to help accommodate the Dubs’ pursuit of Durant, will reportedly turn down any extension offer he receives from the club this year. That’s not a surprise — he’s still two years away from the open market, and his earning potential would be higher as a free agent.

Thompson, however, is a more interesting case. The low-maintenance star appears to be perfectly happy in Golden State, so even though he could maximize his earning potential by waiting until free agency to sign a new contract, he may be open to getting something done early. In fact, the two sides have already had discussions about a new deal.

The NBA’s rules related to veteran extensions limit Thompson’s maximum extension to four years for about $102MM, which is well below the max, but it’s still a significant sum. If he were to tack that onto the end of his current contract, it would total approximately $121MM over the next five years. Those numbers might strike a perfect balance between how high the Warriors are willing to go to keep their core intact and how far below the max Thompson is willing to go to remain in a perfect situation.

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