The 2023 NBA draft will always be known as the year the San Antonio Spurs landed center Victor Wembanyama with the No. 1 overall pick and likely changed the fortunes of their franchise for the next 2 decades.
Now, with the 2023 draft class about to become eligible for their 1st massive contract extensions this offseason, Wembanyama and a few other members of his class are about to cash in, but maybe not Miami Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr., the No. 18 overall pick who once seemed like a shoo-in for a lucrative contract extension.
Spotrac’s Keith Smith predicts there will be a tough decision to make with Jaquez, who might still land a 4-year, $78 million contract extension — but it’s almost just as likely he gets traded as he signs a new deal.
“Jaquez has been on a roller coaster ride through his first three seasons,” Smith wrote. “As a rookie, he looked like the next great Heat draft steal. In his sophomore year, Jaquez slumped and briefly lost his spot in Miami’s rotation. In Year 3, Jaquez was terrific and a Sixth Man of the Year contender. It’s likely he had the stereotypical sophomore slump and what we saw last year is the real player Jaquez is. The question then becomes: How much can you pay a bench guy? The Heat are trying to manage their finances a bit and could use a relatively low cap hold for Jaquez next season to create more cap space. If there’s no extension, keep an eye on that being the plan for Miami. If the Heat make their all-in move this summer, then Jaquez could extend before the October deadline.”
Contract Predictions for 2023 1st Round Picks
In Smith’s latest model, just 9 of the 30 picks from the 1st round of the 2023 NBA draft seem like locks to land extensions:
- No. 1, Victor Wembanyama, C, San Antonio Spurs (5 years, $302.3 million)
- No. 2, Brandon Miller, F, Charlotte Hornets (5 years, $200 million)
- No. 4, Amen Thompson, PG, Houston Rockets (5 years, $185 million)
- No. 5, Ausar Thompson, SG, Detroit Pistons (5 years, $135 million)
- No. 6, Anthony Black, SG, Orlando Magic (4 years, $80 million)
- No. 10, Cason Wallace, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder (4 years, $108 million)
- No. 16, Keyonte George, SG, Utah Jazz (4 years, $152 million)
- No. 19, Brandon Podziemski, SG, Golden State Warriors (4 years, $64 million)
- No. 26, Ben Sheppard, SF, Indiana Pacers (3 years, $30 million)
Most notably, Smith predicts the Portland Trail Blazers will not offer a contract extension to point guard and No. 3 overall pick Scoot Henderson.
Stephen Curry’s Decade Reign Atop Earnings List
Golden State Warriors guard and 4-time NBA champion Stephen Curry was the highest-paid player in the NBA in 2025-26 with a salary of approximately $65.2 million — a top spot he’s held all but 1 year since 2017-18.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic missed the opportunity to take over the No. 1 spot from Curry when he was traded from the Dallas Mavericks in February 2025. Had Doncic remained with the Mavericks, he would have been eligible for a 5-year, $345 million supermax contract — approximately $69 million per season.
Don’t feel too bad for Doncic. He signed a 3-year, $160.3 million contract extension with the Lakers that runs through the 2027-28 season and includes a player option for 2028-29. At that point, with 10 years in the NBA, he will once again be eligible for a supermax — a contract some think could land in the range of 5 years for $420 million.
NBA career scoring leader and Lakers forward LeBron James tops the NBA career earnings list with approximately $581.3 million through the end of the 2025-26 season.
Heat Facing $78 Million Decision With ‘Roller Coaster’ Forward