With most free agents/extension-eligible players having signed long-term deals this offseason, it’s time to look at the best contracts that were handed out. Determining what the best contracts are is tricky business. Deals that we think are great right now may turn out to be a failure depending on how the future plays out.
Paul George‘s contract, for example, was highly-rated among NBA circles. But, if he plays just 68% of the games (like he did in LA), that contract will be looked at as a massive overpay in a few years. Franz Wagner‘s extension and OG Anunoby‘s massive deal fall into the same boat. The contracts will be fine if they result in a championship/multiple finals trips. If they don’t, people will mock the two front offices for making those deals.
A+ Signings: Best Contracts This Offseason
Past performance and AAV are the biggest components of finding the best contracts. None of us can predict the future, so the past is all we have. Seth Partnow once gave us a formula that NBA teams use to determine monetary value. The formula is: to multiply the estimated wins of a player by the monetary worth of a win in the NBA. This will also help us in figuring out the best contracts. Furthermore, I added a lower limit to this search. The contract had to be at least 3 years long, and it had to be worth at least $30-40 million in total value. Anything shorter than that is usually a prove-it deal or one handed out to an aging veteran. Let’s dive into the 3 best contracts handed out this offseason without further ado.
Offseason Steals: The Best Contracts
3. DeMar DeRozan
Old Team: Chicago Bulls
New Team: Sacramento Kings
Old Contract: 3-year $81.9 million
New Contract: 3-year $73.9 million
The Bulls only came close to .500 on the season because of their clutch numbers. They won 27 of the 44 clutch games they played, the most clutch-time wins in the league. Spearheading that was DeMar DeRozan. DeRozan averaged 4.6 points in the 40 clutch games he played, the highest mark in the league. Now, he adds another clutch scorer to the Sacramento Kings offense. He also adds another dimension to the Kings’ offense. DeRozan has been a mid-range specialist for years now and will add his skillset to a team that struggled outside the paint.
The Kings shot just 44.1% from 8-16 feet, while DeRozan shot 49.2% in that same area. He has grown as a playmaker as years have gone by and gives the Kings another ball-handler. Using Partnow’s formula, the difference between his production value and contract AAV is $6 million. Despite it not being an abnormally high mark, it is noteworthy. He took a pay cut to sign with the Kings but didn’t have to. Instead, he was offered a 2-year $80 million deal by the Bulls and could have signed a 3-year $130 million contract with them this offseason itself.
2. Derrick White
Old Team: Boston Celtics
New Team: Boston Celtics
Old Contract: 4-year $70 million
New Contract: 4-year $118 million
In a world where Franz Wagner signed a 5-year $224 million deal and Immanuel Quickley signed a 5-year $162.5 million deal, Derrick White could have gotten much more than what he signed for. That’s why it’s one of the best contracts signed this offseason. Using Partnow’s formula, the difference between Derrick White’s production value and contract AAV is $10 million. That is comfortably the second-highest margin across the league.
White is one of the best role players in the NBA right now and is a menace on both ends. Despite his lack of size, White ranked 16th in the league in blocks per game. He is a two-time All-defense honoree and is part of arguably the best two-way backcourt in the league. On offense, White shot 39.6% from deep and averaged 15.2 points per game. White held the Mavericks to just 26.4% from 3 and poured in 14 points per game to help a Boston offense that was not at its best in that series
1. Jalen Brunson
Old Team: New York Knicks
New Team: New York Knicks
Old Contract: 4-year $104 million
New Contract: 4-year $156 million
Two years ago, the Knicks pulled off one of the biggest heists free agency has ever seen. They signed Jalen Brunson to a four-year $104 million contract that everybody thought was a huge overpay. Now, two years since the incident, Jalen Brunson took a $113 million pay cut to extend with the Knicks instead of being able to sign a 5-year $269 million deal in FA next year. Using Partnow’s formula, the difference between his production value and the new contract AAV is $17.4 million, the biggest margin amongst new contracts signed this offseason.
Brunson finished 5th in MVP voting this season and will be the 39th highest-paid player in the 2025-26 NBA season. Some players who will earn more than him are Cade Cunningham, Franz Wagner, Bradley Beal, Fred VanVleet, and Desmond Bane. Brunson led the Knicks to their first 50-win season in over a decade and has consistently proven his mettle in the playoffs. He averaged 28.7 points on 40.1% from three and was worth 11.2 WS. The Knicks were +14.7 points on offense when he was on the court, one of the best marks across the league. He is a willing passer and can lead on offense to great heights on his own.
