After a 2016 offseason that saw lucrative contracts go to players like Bradley Beal ($128 million), DeMar DeRozan ($139 million), and a per year NBA-record for Mike Conley Jr. ($153 million) who is earning more than $30 million per year — the contracts are about to be blown out of this stratosphere.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and NBPA Executive Director Michele Roberts have discussed proposals that would allow players with 10 or more years of service in the league, to get a bump in max salaries that would push the maximum contract for such a player re-signing with his own team to more than $200 million for five years, with a first-year salary in excess of $35 million, according to an industry source.
Pensions, benefits, and health care provisions for retired players will also receive a generous uptick.
The two sides are a lot closer to an agreement than they were five years ago during the lockout season, the ease of negotiation is largely connected to the vast amount of revenue up for grabs with large TV network deals that can give a third of the league lucrative deals in the near future.
Most importantly, cable/national TV deals with ABC/ESPN and TNT would facilitate the teams' salary cap going up, allowing for much more “generous” contract talks with just about any player.
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