Victor Wembanyama has officially signed a $252 million extension with the Spurs. The Wembanyama extension will allow him to stay with the team until 2032 and potentially allow the team to more easily afford Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper in the future. Achieving this signing is a huge moment for the Spurs organization and also for Wembanyama. Wembanyama will see a humongous pay upgrade. This also comes after a relatively busy offseason for the Spurs.
Why The Wembanyama Extension Really Matters
Would Wembanyama Actually Benefit From Not Taking This Deal?
Although it has been agreed that San Antonio has turned their offseason from good to great with this deal, it is somewhat misunderstood how Wembanyama took a “pay cut.” The French phenom would have been eligible for a larger deal if he had waited till the 2027 offseason to sign the deal. However, this would only come about if he met the 65-game threshold, not to mention it also puts things into luck. For instance, if Wembanyama gets hurt badly next season, he has already signed an extension. That money is fully guaranteed also. For a player who only a season ago suffered a potentially career-altering injury, this seems like a great decision.
It should be noted that after signing the contract, Wembanyama tweeted, “Spurs family, I’m here to stay.” Although he has benefits to sign now, one of the biggest ones is being able to put this chapter of his career away, at least until his next contract is due. He no longer has to deal with questions about his loyalty, pleas from fans, or other distractions next year relating to his contract.
One thing that is clear is that Wembanyama loves San Antonio. From his personal project to add the “Jackals” to his embracing of various Texas traditions and cultural staples, he has been all in from the beginning. That isn’t even mentioning his relationship with former Spur Tony Parker, spanning back to his childhood days in France. When the Spurs finally drafted him in 2023, he immediately said it was like a “dream.”
Everything This Deal Sets Up For The Future
Wembanyama signing this deal should be taken as a vote of confidence in the Spurs’ roster building this offseason. Although Wembanyama’s loyalty should not be doubted, he is still a player with great expectations. Wembanyama signing a long-term deal shows that he expects the team to be competitive for many years to come.
Castle is likely due for an extension in a year, and Harper with him as well. With Wembanyama saving San Antonio an estimated 10 million per year and limited high-paying long-term contracts, this looks great. De’Aaron Fox is the only hurdle. With as much that can be said about the uproar from Spurs fans demanding that the Fox experiment be over, it seems logical to assume that he was going to leave the team early as soon as he signed an extension. As soon as the Spurs drafted Harper, it should have seemed obvious that one would take priority over the other eventually.
Wembanyama also becomes the Spur who will have the longest remaining years of his contract next season. If the Spurs move Fox, then the last three years of Wembanyama’s contract are currently almost blank in terms of who his teammates will be. This will allow the Spurs a lot of freedom, but it will most likely be when the Spurs look for cheaper alternatives to excellent role players.
Despite the pay cut, Wembanyama will reach a time during his career when he will not have the depth that will be available next season. But his extension will help make the most of his near future.
Featured Image: Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images
