Phoenix Suns: 5 goals for T.J. Warren in 2017-18
5. Get contract extension
Entering the fourth year of his rookie-scale contract, Warren is eligible for a four-year extension that would kick in for the 2018-19 season. After the Suns drafted Josh Jackson, such an extension would let Warren know he’s still an integral part of #TheTimeline, even if his ceiling does not compare to that of this year’s No. 4 overall pick.
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To be fair, this goal is not really in Warren’s hands. It’s entirely up to his agent and general manager Ryan McDonough whether the two sides can come to an agreement, and after the Suns drafted Jackson this summer, they should be in no rush to extend Warren.
By waiting, Phoenix can monitor his progress in a potential make-or-break 2017-18 campaign and wait to handle his restricted free agency next summer, as they’ve done with Alex Len. If Jackson puts together an impressive rookie year or Warren has another up-and-down season, the Suns would be thankful to avoid a premature extension and have the upper hand in free agency negotiations next summer.
From Warren’s point of view, however, the pressure is on to perform this upcoming season. Jackson is already being pencilled in as the small forward of the future for this team, but a contract extension for Tony Buckets would ensure he’ll remain a part of the core. Best-case scenario, he’s a high scoring sixth man; worst-case scenario, he’s their starter as a two-way wing with an improved 3-point shot.
More than likely, McDonough will hold off on an extension. But for the forgotten man who has yet to prove himself as an intrinsic part of the youth movement, Warren would probably like to lock his situation down for the foreseeable future.