Breaking Down the Recent Contract Extensions in the NBA
By: Spencer Young
Tags: Sports, Basketball, NBA, NBA Offseason, Nba Free Agency

Jonathan Isaac (Magic): Four years, $80,000,000

2020 Stats: 11.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.6 steals, and 2.3 blocks

This contract feels like a bargain at first glance: a player with Defensive Player of the Year potential in Jonathan Isaac signing for $20 million a season. But, Isaac’s health has created enough doubt for him to seek financial security above all — especially since he will miss the entire 2020–2021 season.

Isaac had an impressive campaign, and his block/steal totals put him in rare territory. His length causes havoc, and he is a well-above-average help defender who is good at on-ball defense too.

His offensive game needs development, but he showed growth as a shooter, and some of his issues are symptomatic of playing with a non-shooting point guard, a poor shooter in Aaron Gordon, and a post-up center in Nikola Vucevic.

Isaac is only 23, and time is on his side. But with this new contract, he will have to return to form eventually, with the Magic banking on him to be a cornerstone for their franchise going forward.

Markelle Fultz (Magic): Three years, $50,000,000

2020 Stats: 12.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.2 blocks

Many consider last season to be Markelle Fultz’s “rookie year,” the first season that he has been healthy when taking the court. Clearly, he impressed with his play and potential, as the Magic committed over $16 million a season for him to be their starting point guard.

Some are still bullish on Fultz’s potential, and, to be fair, the caveat of him developing a jump-shot remains. But it seems more likely than not that Fultz will never develop elite shot-creation abilities that he flashed in college, and if things remain constant, this contract extension will be closer to market value than a steal for Orlando (not that there’s anything wrong with paying a player their market value).

Fultz has developed in all areas but shooting: he is an athletic playmaker, a good finisher, and a solid defender — with it being likelier than not that he develops in all of these areas as well.

Orlando has locked itself into its future with Fultz and Isaac, and it seems to be the right move. This extension does not have much potential to aid Orlando into becoming a title contender unless Fultz takes a meteoric leap forward, but it ensures that the Magic will be competitive in future seasons as they move away from their current roster.

Derrick White (Spurs): Four years, $73,000,000

2020 Stats: 11.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.9 blocks

Derrick White was a breakout player in the NBA Bubble, where he averaged nearly 19 points per game and shot over 8 threes a game on high efficiency. He is now locked up with Dejounte Murray as the Spurs’ future backcourt.

We’ve seen glimpses of what White is capable of, as he first made a name for himself in the 2019 NBA Playoffs against the Denver Nuggets when he averaged over 15 points per game.

White may not be a name that stands out, but he is a steady ball-handler, a good defender, and, if he keeps up his play from the bubble, a great shooter. His guaranteed high level of play was enough to motivate the Spurs to keep him long-term.

This is probably the maximum White would have received on the market too: at 26, he does not have much room to grow physically, and outside of simply taking a higher volume of threes, there is a ceiling to his offensive game.

The Spurs are once again trying to circumvent a full teardown, and White will help keep them competitive as the Spurs try and figure out their future direction.

OG Anunoby (Raptors): Four years, $72,000,000

2020 Stats: 10.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.7 blocks

OG Anunoby’s two-way play last season could make him worth up to $12–15 million alone, and his age (23) and potential made this $18 million extension worth it for Toronto. Anunoby would compete with the likes of Lauri Markennan and Lonzo Ball as the most coveted restricted free agent in the NBA, so Toronto may have escaped a larger payday in the future.

He is a versatile weapon on defense, with the quickness to guard smaller players and the strength to stop stronger players in the frontcourt. He may see time as a small-ball forward and even as a center this season, as Toronto lost their two primary centers from last season.

This contract extension is also helped by the fact that Toronto’s player development program has done wonders in the past — look no further than Pascal Siakam, who was similarly a defensive-minded role player and is now an All-Star.

Since Anunoby’s two-way ability made him worth up to $15 million already, the added potential that he becomes a more skilled offensive player in the future makes this deal have the potential to be a bargain for the Raptors in the future.