SPORT NEWS: Predicting the 10 best non-max contracts in the NBA for 2024-25.giang

Top stars in the NBA earn significant salaries. Depending on their years in the NBA, they could max out at $35.1 million to $49.2 million for 2024-25. Some, like Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors, are even higher at $55.8 million.

With the strict rules of the league’s collective bargaining agreement, teams need to budget wisely around their franchise players. That’s no easy task, but some have found impact players at cheaper prices.

The following are the 10 best non-maximum contracts in the NBA this season.

2024-25 salary: $3 million
Contract status: One year, $3 million
Stats: 10.4 points, 6.2 assists (against 1.1 turnovers), 32.2 minutes

The Phoenix Suns needed an organizing point guard for their halfcourt and transition offenses. Turnovers were an issue last year, and Jones pretty much leads the NBA every season in assist-to-turnover ratio.

Jones is at least a non-taxpayer mid-level player (NTMLE, at $12.8 million this season), but the market ran dry, and he settled for a smaller, short deal with Phoenix—earning the opportunity to start on a high-profile team with postseason aspirations.

Another bonus for Phoenix: Jones’s one-year minimum deal only counts as $2.1 million against the team’s tax. With their massive payroll, the Suns’ challenge will be retaining Jones next season—but that’s a “tomorrow” problem.

2024-25 salary: $3.1 million
Contract status: Two years remaining, $8.0 million
Stats: 16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 47.2 percent from three, 35.5 minutes

Since winning the title in 2023, the Nuggets have faced difficult financial decisions. Veterans like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Bruce Brown Jr. and Jeff Green have moved on for greater paydays than Denver was willing or able to pay. The franchise needs its young players to step into those roles to stay successful with stars Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray.

Braun has answered that call. He’s been tremendous in a starting role, and the Nuggets have remained competitive.

Braun also contributed to the championship run as a rookie. That experience should help when asked to continue his regular-season production into the postseason.

Denver will need to decide on Braun’s rookie-scale extension next summer, though the team could wait until he becomes a restricted free agent in 2026. Regardless, he’ll continue to earn at a discounted rate until then.

2024-25 salary: $4.8 million
Contract status: Two years, $11.4 million remaining
Stats: 20.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 2.1 steals

The Thunder have the best record in the Western Conference, and Williams is one of the team’s best players. The No. 12 pick in 2022 would fare well in a re-draft, playing like a top-three player in his class. Teammate Chet Holmgren (No. 2 from the same draft) might have given Williams competition for this list, but unfortunately, he is sidelined for at least a few months with a hip injury.

Oklahoma City Thunder, who is already maxing out All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, will likely need to do the same for Williams and Holmgren next summer on extensions that start with the 2026-27 season.

2024-25 salary: $5.4 million
Contract status: Six years, $190.4 million remaining (player option)
Stats: 17.3 points, 11.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists

Houston expects to return to the playoffs this postseason. The team paid Jalen Green and Şengün this summer on extensions starting next summer. Şengün is a discount this year, but not for long.

Still, he makes the list because he’ll earn about $4.7 million below next year’s max. Green, at $12.5 million this season but also above $33 million next year, was considered as well, but Şengün is more than half the price for the Rockets.

2024-25 salary: $12.2 million
Contract status: Two years, $27.5 million remaining
Stats: 29.0 points, 8.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists (just five games)

While this may be a slight leap of faith—assuming Banchero returns promptly from his oblique injury that will keep him out until early December—the third-year forward was on an absolute tear. His 50-point performance in late October against the Indiana Pacers (followed by 31 points two days later vs. the Chicago Bulls) was stunning.

He’s one of the league’s talented scorers and will help catapult his team from solid to among the top tier in the East once he returns to play. Regarding his contract, Banchero will undoubtedly get maxed out by the Magic this offseason, but that extension won’t start until the 2026-27 campaign.

2024-25 salary: $12.8 million
Contract status: Three years, $43.0 million remaining
Stats: 22.7 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.7 blocks

San Antonio may have a losing record, but the team may make the play-in this season on the shoulders of the reigning Rookie of the Year. Wembanyama is a game/franchise-altering player. He’s as good as advertised, and while he’s still maturing as a player (turning 21 in January), the early returns are special.

The Spurs will undoubtedly max him out when eligible (starting with the 2027-28 season), but at his price, he brings more than just “hope” to the team. He’s bringing back wins and respectability to one of the great NBA franchises of the last two decades.

2024-25 salary: $13 million
Contract status: Three years, $41.8 million remaining (final season player option)
Stats: 18.7 points, 5.3 assists, 1.3 steals

Reaves’ salary is about $154,000 above the NTMLE, an excellent price for a starter. Undrafted, Reaves has established himself as the Lakers’ third-best player behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The team looks improved over last year’s squad with new head coach JJ Redick, who has empowered Reaves with additional ball-handling duties.

If Reaves continues at this level long-term, he’ll earn a hefty payday starting in 2026-27, but in the meantime, the Lakers have him locked in at a friendly salary for this season and next.

2024-25 salary: $20.1 million
Contract status: Five years, $146 million remaining (player option)
Stats: 19.0 points, 4.3 assists, 42.0 percent from three

White is extremely well paid, inking an extension in July. But even with his jump to $28 million next season, he’s well below the max.

The guard was a significant part of Boston’s title run last season, along with the hot start to 2024-25.

2024-25 salary: $24.1 million
Contract status: Three years, $77.7 million remaining (player option)
Stats: 9.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.3 assists

Green is a reminder that basketball is about more than scoring.

The four-time champion spearheads the Warriors’ defense, helps run the offense as point forward and plays center as needed.

Golden State was more willing to let shooter Klay Thompson leave in free agency than Green, who re-signed last summer. The Warriors have started the season exceptionally well, and while Curry will get the headlines, Green is the second-most important player on the roster.

2024-25 salary: $25.3 million
Contract status: Two years, $48.7 million remaining
Stats: 23.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 1.3 blocks

The Grizzlies were injured for most of last season, and that unfortunate trend has continued into this year. So far, Memphis has treaded water well and should get star guard Ja Morant back later this month.

In the meantime, Jackson has been a stabilizing force, keeping the team in the hunt with younger, less-experienced players around him. The former Defensive Player of the Year (2022-23) will be an unrestricted free agent in 2026—though he can extend before then at $32.8 million (well below his potential max of a projected $51 million).

This season’s best story is the perfect Cleveland Cavaliers. Forward/center Evan Mobley has been a massive part of that success, and while he’s “only” earning $11.2 million this season, his team has already maxed him out with a long-term extension. Ignoring that, he would bump his way onto the top 10 portion of this list.

Others are putting in work for teams that aren’t having the same kind of success. Jalen Johnson ($4.5 million) and Dyson Daniels ($6.1 million) have been great for the Atlanta Hawks; Cam Thomas ($4.1 million) is a scoring machine for the Brooklyn Nets.

Other non-max players worthy of praise include RJ Barrett, Tre Mann, Coby White, Bennedict Mathurin, Ivica Zubac, Naz Reid, Donte DiVincenzo, Jalen Suggs, Caris LeVert, Haywood Highsmith, Isaiah Joe, Miles McBride and Toumani Camara.

Email Eric Pincus at [email protected] and follow him on X/Twitter @EricPincus.