Free agency has started with a flurry of player movement, which I covered here. But, we've also seen plenty of players stay with their teams on contract extensions. That doesn't mean the situation around them has stayed the same, however. Below, I discuss the biggest contract extensions and how the players are impacted in fantasy.
Jayson Tatum, Celtics - 5 year, $315 million extension
It's the richest contract in NBA history, but there's not much to see here. Tatum is coming off another strong individual season, minus some playoff letdown, that ultimately still resulted in a title for Boston. The surrounding roster hasn't fundamentally changed, so we should again expect Tatum to be worth a top-15 pick in fantasy, especially since he practically never misses games.
Cade Cunningham, Pistons - 5 year, $226 million extension
Since being drafted first overall in 2021, Cunningham has appeared in just 138 games, winning 38 of them (28%). Despite the awful record, I'm still of the belief Cunningham is hugely responsible for Detroit not losing even more games. Hopefully, the young players around him start catching up soon.
Jamal Murray, Nuggets - 4 year, $209 million extension
Murray has yet to make an All-Star game in the tough Western Conference, but he's quietly coming off his best season next to Nikola Jokic. The talent drain in Denver continued this offseason, with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope heading to Orlando, so the Nuggets may need more out of Murray next year, depending on how ready guys like Christian Braun and Peyton Watson are for expanded roles.
Tyrese Maxey, 76ers - 5 year, $205 million extension
Last season's Most Improved Player and a first-time All-Star, Maxey is coming off a fantastic 2023-24. He should continue adding to his game since he's just 23 years old, but a small usage decrease may be in store due to the addition of Paul George. I'm not going to downgrade him for fantasy, though.
Pascal Siakam, Pacers - 4 years, $189.5 million
Siakam was a perfect fit when he got traded to Indiana in the middle of last season, and he arguably got better during the playoffs. It's a huge get for a small market like Indiana to secure a player of Siakam's caliber to a deal like this, even if he's quietly 30 years old already. He should remain the Pacers' No. 2 offensive option behind Tyrese Haliburton.
Bam Adebayo, Heat - 3 year, $166 million extension
Adebayo is coming off his second straight All-Star nod and his fifth straight top 5 Defensive Player of the Year finish. We know who he is at this point, and assuming Miami runs back the same roster, it should be another year of high-quality production from the 26-year-old center.
Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers - 3 years, $150.3 million
Despite rumors Mitchell wanted out of Cleveland, he's inked a lucrative extension with the team. Nothing is stopping him from asking for a trade sooner than later, but for now, the Cavaliers appear to be running it back. Mitchell is coming off his fifth straight All-Star game and should continue providing excellent guard numbers for fantasy managers.
Derrick White, Celtics - 4 years, $125.9 million
White is coming off a career-best season that helped fuel Boston to an NBA title. The veteran guard made the All-Defensive Second Team for the second straight season while setting a career-high in assists (5.2), threes (2.7) and blocks (1.2) per game. His role should remain the same in 2024-25.
Nic Claxton, Nets - 4 years, $100 million
Washington and Brooklyn are fighting for the worst NBA roster heading into 2024-25, but that bodes well for Claxton's upside as a fantasy asset. He slipped a bit last season due to decreased efficiency and defense, but his scoring and passing responsibilities could increase this season as one of the Nets' core young players. He should be in contention for a top-50 fantasy selection.
Patrick Williams, Bulls - 5 years, $90 million
The soon-to-be 23-year-old forward has started just 175 games since being selected No. 4 overall in 2020. I'm out on him as anything more than a role player, but maybe he could crack the top 100 in fantasy this year if Chicago commits to the rebuild. There have just been practically no signs of life from Williams, who has scored 20-plus points just 10 times in his career.
Malik Monk, Kings - 4 years, $78 million
Suffering an injury at the end of last season put a damper on Monk's great season, where he finished second in Sixth Man of the Year voting behind career highs in points (15.4) and assists (5.1) per game. He should be all clear to repeat his performance in 2024-25, making him a worthy fantasy selection outside of the top 100.
James Harden, Clippers - 2 years, $70 million
Dare I suggest there's a Harden bounceback season incoming with Paul George now in Philadelphia? Harden fell down to 16.6 points and 8.5 assists per game last year, but George left without a replacement, and we know Kawhi Leonard can't stay healthy. There will be plenty of nights where Harden is the No. 1 option by a mile. Harden is on the brink of his 35th birthday, so there's a push and pull with age vs. usage, but the situation will present fantasy managers with a tough choice when Harden is there in the second round.
