Players Eligible For Veteran Contract Extensions

Rookie scale extensions have historically been the most common form of contract extension in the NBA. Veteran extensions are signed occasionally, but few players are eligible to receive them due to restrictive regulations — and for many of those extension-eligible vets, it simply makes more sense to wait until free agency to maximize their earnings.

[RELATED: 2018 NBA Contract Extension Tracker]

The NBA’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement has loosened the rules on eligibility for veteran contract extensions, and has also made them a little more financially advantageous for players who don’t expect mega-deals.

For stars like Kyrie Irving and Kemba Walker, who are currently eligible for veteran extensions, it still makes sense to wait until free agency, since the maximum raise they can receive on an extension is far below the maximum salary they’re eligible to earn on the open market. The maximum starting salary a player like Irving or Walker can receive in a veteran extension is up to 120% of his current salary.

A player on a more modest contract can receive a maximum starting salary worth up to 120% of the NBA’s estimated average salary on an extension, assuming that amount is greater than 120% of his current salary. For this season, 120% of the estimated average salary would work out to a $10.61MM salary in the first year of a contract extension. A player who signs an extension that fits that bill could get up to four years and $47.51MM. Spencer Dinwiddie and Malcolm Brogdon are among the players who will be eligible for that sort of deal.

Now that the regular season is in full swing, the number of veterans eligible for contract extensions has declined, since players with more than one year left on their contracts aren’t permitted to ink in-season extension. But there are still a number of veterans in the final year of their respective contracts who remain eligible for extensions right up until June 30, the last day of the current league year.

Listed below are the players who meet the criteria for a veteran extension. Players who were recently traded can be extended, but they have to wait for six months after the trade to sign a contract longer than three total years (including the current season). So if a player below is noted as having “limited” eligibility until a certain date, that’s probably why. Once those six months pass, he’s eligible to sign a contract of up to five years (including the current season).

Additionally, extension-eligible players with a player or team option for 2019/20 would have to eliminate that option year as part of an extension agreement in order to meet the necessary criteria.

Here’s the full list of veterans eligible for contract extensions until June 30:

Atlanta Hawks

• Kent Bazemore
  • Note: 2019/20 player option must be declined.

Boston Celtics

• Al Horford
  • Note: 2019/20 player option must be declined.
• Kyrie Irving
  • Note: 2019/20 player option must be declined.
• Marcus Morris

Brooklyn Nets

• Allen Crabbe
  • Note: 2019/20 player option must be declined.
• DeMarre Carroll
• Jared Dudley

Charlotte Hornets

• Bismack Biyombo
  • Note: 2019/20 player option must be declined.
• Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
  • Note: 2019/20 player option must be declined.
• Jeremy Lamb
• Kemba Walker
• Marvin Williams
  • Note: 2019/20 player option must be declined.

Chicago Bulls

• Robin Lopez

Cleveland Cavaliers

• None

Dallas Mavericks

• J.J. Barea
• Dorian Finney-Smith
• Dwight Powell
  • Note: 2019/20 player option must be declined.

Denver Nuggets

• None

Detroit Pistons

• Ish Smith

Golden State Warriors

• Klay Thompson

Houston Rockets

• Iman Shumpert
  • Note: Extension eligibility limited.

Indiana Pacers

• Cory Joseph
• Thaddeus Young

Los Angeles Clippers

• Patrick Beverley
• Garrett Temple
  • Note: Extension eligibility limited.
• Ivica Zubac
  • Note: Extension eligibility limited.

Los Angeles Lakers

• None

Memphis Grizzlies

• Jonas Valanciunas
  • Note: Extension eligibility limited.

Miami Heat

• Goran Dragic
  • Note: 2019/20 player option must be declined.
• Rodney McGruder
• Hassan Whiteside
  • Note: 2019/20 player option must be declined.

Milwaukee Bucks

• Eric Bledsoe
• Malcolm Brogdon
• Khris Middleton
  • Note: 2019/20 player option must be declined.

Minnesota Timberwolves

• Jerryd Bayless
  • Note: Extension eligibility limited until May 12.

New Orleans Pelicans

• Cheick Diallo
• Jason Smith
  • Note: Extension eligibility limited.

New York Knicks

• None

Oklahoma City Thunder

• None

Orlando Magic

• Terrence Ross
• Nikola Vucevic

Philadelphia 76ers

• Jimmy Butler
  • Note: 2019/20 player option must be declined.
  • Note: Extension eligibility limited until May 12.
• Tobias Harris
  • Note: Extension eligibility limited.
• Boban Marjanovic
  • Note: Extension eligibility limited.
• T.J. McConnell

Phoenix Suns

• Troy Daniels
• Richaun Holmes
• Tyler Johnson
  • Note: 2019/20 player option must be declined.
  • Note: Extension eligibility limited.

Portland Trail Blazers

• Al-Farouq Aminu
• Jake Layman

Sacramento Kings

• Alec Burks
  • Note: Extension eligibility limited.
• Harrison Barnes
  • Note: 2019/20 player option must be declined.
  • Note: Extension eligibility limited.
• Kosta Koufos

San Antonio Spurs

• None

Toronto Raptors

• Marc Gasol
  • Note: 2019/20 player option must be declined.
  • Note: Extension eligibility limited.
• Danny Green
• Kawhi Leonard
  • Note: 2019/20 player option must be declined.
  • Note: Extension eligibility limited until January 18.

Utah Jazz

• Ricky Rubio

Washington Wizards

• Wesley Johnson
  • Note: Extension eligibility limited.
• Tomas Satoransky

Information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.