Teams around the NBA are projecting Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram, Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, and Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell to agree to maximum-salary contracts with their respective teams not long after free agency opens, according to Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link).
Ingram, the top restricted free agent on the market this fall, made the All-Star team for the first time in 2020, averaging 23.8 PPG, 6.1 RPG, and 4.2 APG as the Pelicans’ go-to scorer. His maximum salary for the coming season will be $27.3MM and he could earn up to $158.3MM if he signs a full five-year contract. A four-year max deal would be worth $122.2MM.
As for Tatum and Mitchell, neither player is a free agent this year, but both are eligible for rookie scale extensions that will go into effect in 2021/22. They’ve long been considered two of the most likely players from this year’s group of rookie-extension-eligible players to sign lucrative new contracts, so Stein’s report comes as no surprise.
The value of Tatum’s and Mitchell’s contracts will depend on how much the cap increases for the ’21/22 season. A 3% increase would result in a total value of at least $163MM over five years. That number could go a little higher if Rose Rule language is included in their new deals and they make an All-NBA team in 2021.
Stein adds that Anthony Davis is expected to be a max-salary player too, which is a given. A report earlier today indicated that Davis may take his time considering the length and structure of his contract before formally re-signing with the Lakers.
I predict that Ingram gets 4-years $122M due to healthy issue.
The other two get 5-years $158M
Ingram will get max easily.
I want to see VanVleet to be cashed out by Knicks at $110M
Warriors spent $84M one year on Kelly Oubre.
Why don’t Knicks spend $28M a year on VanVleet?
VanVleet is going to Max Island today. LOL
I have been following basketball just after the Raptors first draft (I got a Raptors shirt an a Sears store and played a Panasonic 3DO lol) and I have been picky on favorite players. Reggie Miller, Kevin Garnett, James Harden. Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum are for the first time my co-favorite players and I endorse this article lol.
If Ingram can keep playing like he did last year he deserves it too. Hard to judge though, he was wishy washy in LA and he played most of last season without Zion.