Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s next contract could set NBA history

NBA contracts are among the most lucrative in professional sports. With 12 players on a roster along with a few two-way positions mixed in there as well, the NBA has significantly fewer roster spots per team than leagues like the MLB and NFL.

That allows for lofty contracts to be signed by the best of the best in the sport. With the collective bargaining agreement heightening the salary cap for the league constantly, there seems to be a record-setting contract signed every season.

Jaylen Brown, the Celtics' star guard, became the first NBA player with a deal that hit north of $300 million. He signed a six-year supermax deal with Boston.

Now, according to Sam Quinn of CBS Sports, former Kentucky Wildcats guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could be the next record-breaking deal, topping $400 million.

“Our prime candidate here is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who did not get a player-option on the last year of his rookie extension like draft-mates Doncic and Young, so if he wants to tack five years onto his deal, he will have to wait until the summer of 2026. If he does so and remains at the All-NBA level he reached last season, he has a real chance to become the NBA’s first $400 million player,” Quinn wrote.

SGA hit a career-high 31.4 points per game this past season, earning his first All-Star appearance. He also shot 51% from the field, proving his efficiency along with his production. SGA is a well-rounded player, also contributing 4.8 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game.

There’s no reason to believe he couldn’t be the best player on a championship-contending team, and with a few additional pieces, the Thunder could get there. SGA has four more years on his current contract, which was inked on August 6, 2021.

If he continues to improve, he’ll likely be paid like one of the best in the NBA, and deservedly so.

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