A lot of money was handed out by NBA teams this summer, some at good value and some at horrible value. We earlier looked at the worst contracts given out this offseason; it's time to look at the very best.
Best and worst are subjective, of course, and depend on the perspective of the evaluator. Trae Young signing a massive four-year extension was the best deal possible for he and his agency, while it looks like a disaster for the Washington Wizards.
We will look from the perspective of teams in this piece and rank the five "best" contracts handed out, not taking into account rookie scale deals (AJ Dybantsa should be a steal on his fixed deal, as are many of his compatriots) or one-year pacts (not enough surplus value).
We begin with The King, whose deal is short, therefore lacking the long-term surplus value of some of the other deals, but who is without a doubt the best bargain of any contract for this upcoming season.
No. 5: LeBron James, Philadelphia 76ers
Two years, $8 million
LeBron James was an All-Star player last season and was the best player in a playoff series that his team won. At age 41, that is a mind-boggling feat, and makes him worth upwards of $30-40 million for this season.
And yet James signed for the veteran's minimum to join forces with the Philadelphia 76ers, making just $3.87 million this season. Father Time could finally come knocking at any time, but based on his play last year and his immaculate track record, he is a massive bargain. It may only be for one year, but it's significant.
No. 4: Julian Champagnie, San Antonio Spurs
Three years, $45 million
The San Antonio Spurs are packed with talented players, but many of them are not high-level shooters. The most critical role they need filled around the likes of Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper is shooting, and Champagnie turned out to be a steal as a high-volume movement shooter.
The Spurs declined a $3 million team option to sign him to a new deal that will pay less than the Mid-Level Exception; that is a bargain given the value he will bring to the team over the next few years. The deal also declines in future seasons, which will be extremely helpful as new deals for Wembanyama and Castle kick in.
No. 3: Dean Wade, Philadelphia 76ers
Four years, $39 million
The 76ers did not just land a steal with James, they locked up an ideal wingman for him and the other Philadelphia stars by signing Dean Wade to a long-term deal.
Wade is one of the league's most underrated defenders, able to defend everyone from point guards to centers. He has also developed into a consistent shooter; he doesn't take many, but he makes the ones he does take. On a 76ers team overloaded with on-ball players, he is the perfect role player.
No. 2: Tari Eason, Houston Rockets
Five years, $81.5 million
The Houston Rockets have established a track record of negotiating with players coming off their rookie contracts, not merely handing them rookie max deals right away as other teams do. They recognize the leverage that they hold and they skillfully use it.
From Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green to Jabari Smith Jr., they have found success with this approach. It continued this offseason; Amen Thompson was in consideration for this list, and Tari Eason makes it as the No. 2 player in large part due to the length: five years at an average of only $16.3 million.
Eason needs a reliable jumpshot to truly take off, but he is already a versatile defender able to guard multiple positions; a monster in transition; and there are still hints of some playmaking and shot creation waiting to come out. Eason could be worth multiple times his salary by the end of this deal.
No. 1: Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
Five year, $252 million
On the one hand, Victor Wembanyama is going to be make the full 25 percent max that he can; it's hard to point to that and think "bargain" given that he will be making $57.4 million in 2031-32. That is a lot of cheddar.
On the other hand, Wembanyama gave the Spurs back millions of dollars by not negotiating into his deal the "Rose Rule" escalators, so even if (when) he makes an All-NBA team this season, his contract will stay at 25 percent. That is around a $9 million savings in the first year, and the annual savings will only increase year by year over the life of the deal.
Not only will Wembanyama be worth more than either max, but he now sets a tone for the rest of the team. Will Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper take less? Perhaps not, but it will be more difficult for them to negotiate for every penny when the best player on the team (and soon, the world) gave up money to help the team field the best team.
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