Oct. 16 marked the deadline for players from the 2014 NBA draft class to sign extensions. Which players were extended by their teams?
The 2014 NBA draft class was heralded for the talent at the top, but after three years in the league it’s shaping up to be a deeper class than expected. With the NBA season upon us, the entire class had until midnight on Monday, Oct. 16 to come to an agreement on a contract extension. That deadline has now passed. Let’s take a look and see which teams chose to extend their players.
Andrew Wiggins was the top pick in the class. Originally he was headed to the Cleveland Cavaliers but was shipped to the Minnesota Timberwolves as part of the Kevin Love trade. Wiggins and Minnesota agreed on an extension worth the maximum amount.
The third pick in the draft was social media savant Joel Embiid. Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers also have agree on a maximum contract extension. That contract looks to be one of the more complex the NBA has seen given Embiid’s injury history.
The Phoenix Suns chose T.J. Warren with the 14th pick. This summer they signed him to an extension worth $50 million over four years.
Gary Harris, the class’s 19th pick which wound up with the Denver Nuggets, was able to reach an agreement on an extension. Harris signed a four year extension worth $84 million.
Those four signal the only first round picks to get extended. The draft did have a few notable second round picks. Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets is the most promising of the bunch and selected 41st. The Lakers snagged Jordan Clarkson with the 46th overall pick.
There were a few surprises not to be extended by their team. Again, all these players will enter restricted free agency next summer. Their team will have the option to match any offer they receive. With the limited cap space floating around, teams are making bets that they’ll be able to secure their young players for cheaper than their current asking price. The list includes:
- Jabari Parker of the Milwaukee Bucks
- Aaron Gordon of the Orlando Magic
- Dante Exum of the Utah Jazz
- Marcus Smart of the Boston Celtics
- Julius Randle of the Los Angeles Lakers
- Zach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls (acquired from the Minnesota Timberwolves)
- Rodney Hood of the Utah Jazz
Those are the names that have provided value for their team. There are others that simply did not deserve a contract extension. Smart and the Celtics seemed to be the closest. Most agree he will not be leaving Boston next summer. Parker and Exum are similar cases, with Parker being more prominent. Both have flashed potential and the reason they were selected second and fifth respectively. However, they’ve both battled tough injuries their entire young career.
Next: FanSided NBA Season Preview
With the deadline now passed all those names will enter restricted free agency. The majority of restricted free agents wind up staying put. But, after the NBA’s madness this past summer, nothing should surprise fans.