The 2026 offseason will be known as the summer of extensions.
In the next few months, more than 100 players -- including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry, Nikola Jokic and Donovan Mitchell -- are eligible to extend their contracts.
The change in extension rules in the 2017 and 2023 collective bargaining agreements have incentivized players to take guaranteed money now instead of waiting until they become free agents.
Since the current CBA started for the 2023-24 season, an average of 31 players have signed a veteran and rookie extension. For comparison, the average under the previous CBA was 21.
There is also a group of 44 potential free agents eligible to sign an extension up to June 30. The group includes CJ McCollum, Dean Wade, Trae Young, Julian Champagnie, Norman Powell, Robert Williams III and Matisse Thybulle.
Champagnie is eligible to sign a four-year, $87 million extension with San Antonio if his $3 million team option for next season is not exercised. He is also extension-eligible in July if the option is exercised.
Let's get into the most interesting looming extension storylines, what each player could earn on his next deal and evaluate options from both the team and player perspectives:
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The former MVPs
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
Eligible to sign: Oct. 1 Extension deadline: June 30, 2027
Antetokounmpo has two years left on his contract (the second year is a player option) and on Oct. 1 he becomes eligible to decline the option and sign a four-year, $275 million contract extension. If he exercises his $62.8 million option for 2026-27, he could then sign a three-year, $213.6 million extension.
Because of that looming possibility, one of two things is going to happen this offseason.
One would be Antetokounmpo verbally agreeing to sign a fourth extension and remaining in Milwaukee. Even with his commitment, the Bucks would be in a holding pattern until Oct. 1, the first date he can officially sign.
"We'll see when we get there," Antetokounmpo said, according to ESPN's Tim Bontemps. "We have [several] months [until then]... it's a long time. But somebody has to offer you that, for you to sign. I haven't been offered an extension. So, if that is on the table, then I will try to make the best decision for me and my family."