In his latest subscriber-only article for The Stein Line, Jake Fischer expresses some doubt that there will be much more action on the rookie scale extension front before the regular season begins. As Fischer writes, just five players – Paolo Banchero, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Jabari Smith Jr., and Nikola Jovic – have signed rookie scale extensions thus far, with 16 players still eligible.
Of course, it’s worth pointing out that at this time last year, only four rookie scale extensions had been signed — seven more were completed on deadline day, October 21, and I’d be surprised if we don’t get at least a little flurry of action at this year’s deadline, which will land on Oct. 20.
Still, as Fischer observes, teams who took their fourth-year players to restricted free agency this past summer instead of getting extensions done early had significant leverage in those negotiations. And while more teams are projected to have cap room next summer, which could offer RFAs more pathways to getting paid, some of that projected cap room figures to dry up over the course of the season due to extensions and trades.
One prime candidate for a rookie scale extension this month is Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe. Fischer says he has heard the Blazers have discussed a potential four-year, $90MM deal for the 22-year-old, while team strategists he has spoken to around the league believe that Sharpe could ultimately match or exceed the four-year, $100MM contract Josh Giddey recently signed with Chicago.
Sharpe played well during the second half last season, averaging 20.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game in his final 29 outings. According to Fischer, the Blazers believe they’ll be well positioned to compete for a postseason spot in 2025/26 if Sharpe carries over and builds on that momentum.
Here’s more from Fischer:
- There’s “some distance” between Dyson Daniels and the Hawks in the early stages of their rookie scale extension negotiations, Fischer writes. Daniels is the NBA’s reigning Most Improved Player and placed second in Defensive Player of the Year voting, so it’s safe to assume he’ll be seeking a significant payday on his second NBA contract.
- While it’s not a necessity, the Rockets would prefer to get an extension done with Tari Eason before finalizing a new deal with Kevin Durant, since that would allow them to know exactly what their cap situation will look like before they make a substantial commitment to the 15-time All-Star, according to Fischer. If Houston works out an extension with Eason, it would likely be for four years, says Fischer, adding that cap strategists think the annual salary will come in lower than the $24.4MM Smith got from the Rockets earlier this year.
- Confirming that the Knicks have contacted multiple teams to gauge Pacome Dadiet‘s trade value, Fischer reports that multiple sources think New York started Dadiet in its preseason opener on Thursday in order to showcase him for a potential deal. Trading Dadiet would allow the Knicks to keep two veteran camp invitees instead of just one. While Malcolm Brogdon and Landry Shamet are widely viewed as the favorites to make the team in that scenario, Fischer has repeatedly heard that Garrison Mathews will get legitimate consideration for a regular season roster spot. Given their respective skill sets, Mathews would be more likely to supplant Shamet than Brogdon.