Victor Wembanyama has officially signed a five-year, $252million (£200m) contract extension with the San Antonio Spurs, putting an end to any uncertainty over the French marvel’s future in the NBA.
The extension keeps the youngster at the franchise for the long haul, after a scintillating first season on the court that has left fans dreaming of what’s to come. Wembanyama’s commitment to San Antonio and the team’s willingness to build a champion-level team around him were more than enough to convince the 22-year-old to sign on the dotted line.
The deal, however, has once again sparked debate about the salary cap structure of the league. This is because Wembanyama could have earned over $300million (roughly £237m) from a ‘supermax’ extension, if he had continued to play out his rookie contract and achieved achievements like a Most Valuable Player award, All-NBA first team selection or the Defensive Player of the Year gong.
By opting for this extension, Wembanyama is estimated to have left around $50m (£39m) on the table and given the Spurs room to maneuver in the coming years. Some in the NBA Players’ Union have expressed their discontent with this move, as union president Fred VanVleet pointed out that star players should not be forced to leave money on the table to allow their franchises the freedom to build their squads in line with NBA salary cap regulations.
While this move by Wembanyama does not serve as precedent, it has reignited debate over whether the NBA’s structure is such that franchise-level players are compelled to take a pay cut in pursuit of a championship title.
