Upon being drafted in the first round of the NBA draft, youngsters who hope to one day make big bucks and star in the association are signed to two year contracts. If they show their teams they have the tools to contribute in the league for years to come, their respective franchise executives have the right to exercise third and fourth year options on their contracts. After the fourth year of their contract, however, they hit the market as restricted free agents if their qualifying offers are extended by their team before the beginning-of-the-season deadline. That means that the team they last played for has the right to match the contract any other team signs them to. Unless, of course, they receive a contract extension first.
Receiving a contract extension is a big deal in the NBA. It shows that a team has faith in the young player they drafted, and often point to that player as being the future franchise cornerstone. This is the first chance for young kids who are drafted out of college to make substantial money, but only if they prove themselves in the preceding four years. This year, the 2010 NBA draft class, which boasts many promising young prospects, is on the hot seat for extensions, and their teams have until November 1st to finalize deals.
This summer, John Wall of the Washington Wizards, Demarcus Cousins of the Sacramento Kings, Paul George of the Indiana Pacers and Larry Sanders of the Milwaukee Bucks, have already received their first big payday. But who else from that deep 2010 draft class deserves to land a meaty extension before the November 1st deadline?
2nd Overall Pick: Evan Turner, G/F, Philladelphia 76ers. When he left Ohio State a year early, the 2010 Naismith Player of the Year looked to have great potential for the NBA. He’s 6’7 and has the unique ability to handle the ball, attack the cup and operate in the post over smaller opponents; these abilities had league executives salivating. However, things didn’t go as smoothly as they were supposed to for Turner. He struggled with consistency. Sometimes he looked like the player Philly drafted, while at other times he seemingly disappeared and struggled to live up to the hype that surrounded his name entering the 2010 draft. He has had a respectable career up to this point, but 76ers personnel are likely kicking themselves for not selecting Paul George with he 2nd pick that year.
Verdict: No extension. That isn’t to say he won’t be with the 76ers next year, but they’ll likely see what other teams offer him before they decide, based on how much they feel he is worth, to match or not.
3rd Overall Pick: Derrick Favors, Utah Jazz. Favors is a promising forward and has shown the combination of strength and athleticism that enables him to be a force down low. He has still got quite a bit of work to do, to woodshed his very raw offensive game, but he’s got a great deal of potential to be a star in the league. He’ll get a much increased opportunity to prove himself this year as he makes the transition from being an important rotation player to the big man of the future for Utah.
Verdict: I believe Favors will receive an extension. He’s not worth the max, but the Jazz have clearly shown their trust in him as a franchise cornerstone after letting their two best players, Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson, walk. I can’t see why the Jazz won’t lock up their future with Favors before he hits the market in the summer.
6th Overall Pick: Ekpe Udoh, F, Milwaukee Bucks. It was a stretch for the Warriors to take Udoh, the 6th overall in 2010, when they could have taken Greg Monroe instead. He’s been injury prone his entire career and has struggled to find a consistent role. He’s still a solid, defensive-minded, big man who certainly has the tools to be a solid rotation guy; but that’s likely all he’ll ever be.
Verdict: No extension. Udoh may or may not receive a qualifying offer when he hits the market this summer. He’ll still be in the NBA next year, but he will likely not land a very lengthy deal.
7th Overall Pick: Greg Monroe, C, Detroit Pistons. Monroe is one of the most versatile big men in the league. He’s shown the ability to both score and defend in the paint while possessing the rare ability to put the ball on the floor and set up his teammates. Adding on to that, he’s a beast on the boards. Big men like Monroe are hard to come by nowadays in an increasingly small league, so I expect the Pistons to hang onto him for quite a while.
Verdict: Monroe will likely be a wealthy man by the November 1st deadline. The Pistons surely do not want to let him get away and he also is likely to want to stay. He’s got the opportunity to be a centerpiece, and make big bucks doing so, on an up and coming team.
18th Overall Pick: Eric Bledsoe, G, Phoenix Suns. It surprised me when the Suns traded for Bledsoe. They already had a very promising point guard in Goran Dragic, and while they could have started the pair together to make for a very speedy back court, their lack of size could make for a major defensive liability. Nevertheless, Bledsoe has the tools to be a strong starter in the league if he reaches his potential.
Verdict: I think a large portion of what determines whether Bledsoe receives an extension, or not, will be what he shows the team he can do in training camp and the preseason. He’s been a stellar backup in Los Angeles for three years, but can he handle the pressure of being a long-term starter? The Suns have flexibility and they can lock him up now, match offers he receives in the summer or let him walk; it’s up to Bledsoe to show the team he’s worth big time money.
19th Overall Pick: Avery Bradley, G, Boston Celtics. Few players have as big of an impact on the ball defensively like Bradley downs. He’s shown great agility, athleticism and foot speed, making him a true on-ball pest. What he needs to do to take his game to the next level is to prove he can be a dominant, two way player. He’ll get a good chance to show his versatility while Rajon Rondo sits out and he’ll pick up more than his fair share of minutes at both guard positions.
Verdict: I don’t think Bradley will get an extension, but I’d be very surprised if he wasn’t back in “Beantown” next season. Defensive stoppers like Bradley are hard to find, and new coach Brad Stevens has raved about Bradley’s talents. He’ll likely receive an offer from another team, which I expect the Celtics to quickly match.
29th Overall Pick: Greivis Vasquez, G, Kings. Vasquez established himself as one of the premier set-up men in the league. At 6’6, he has great size for a point guard to make up for his lack of elite athleticism. He’ll get the chance to battle it out with the much smaller, Isaiah Thomas, in training camp for the starting point guard gig. He’ll likely never be an all star in the league, but I see him as a guy whose craft will keep him well paid for a very long time.
Verdict: I don’t expect Vasquez to receive an extension. The Kings won’t be too quick to spend their money, seeing as they’ve already handed out one fat extension to Demarcus Cousins. If Vasquez plays the way he did in New Orleans last season, however, he’ll find a big paycheck in the off season.
This is the first edition of a monthly basketball column.
