5 Best Contracts In The NBA This Season And Moving Forward

While some NBA teams are handcuffed by massive contracts for players based on their past performances or ones that are constantly hampered by injuries, there are a few front offices that have locked up impact-to-star-level players at relatively bargain prices. Finding players who outperform their salary helps create the roster flexibility needed to compete for a championship, especially with the recently imposed restrictive cap rules. We examine five players whose contracts are among the best in the league, considering both their performance and its impact on their team’s payroll. 

*For this list, we have removed players on their rookie contracts and have included those who are currently under contract for this season, plus two additional years. 

It might be hard to believe that $34.9 million is a deal, but in today's NBA, for a player who is a top 10 MVP candidate, All-NBA, and All-Star, it's pretty good. As the 46th highest-paid player in the league, Brunson has guided the Knicks back to being relevant in NBA title conversations and is averaging 28 points, six assists, four rebounds, and a steal as the focal point of the team.  At just 29 years old, Brunson is in the midst of his prime and has a relatively friendly $37 million and $40 million guarantee left on his contract with a player option in 2028-29 for $43 million. 

It didn’t take long for Alperen Sengun to become the focal point of the Houston Rockets' rebuild, and had they not traded for Kevin Durant, the offense would continue to revolve around the big man from Turkey. Earning between $33 million and $39 million between this season and 2028-29 (he has a player option for 2029-30 for $39 million), it seems like Sengun will be a bargain for years to come. Considered by many to be a “Nikola Jokic lite”, Sengun should be a perennial All-Star for years to come. 

When the Blazers traded Malcolm Brogdon, Bub Carrington, a first-round pick, and a pair of second-rounders for the 6'9" forward, they did it with the intent of making 24-year-old Avdija a component of their rebuilding project. Currently posting a breakout season of 25 points, seven rebounds, and five assists, Avdija is among the frontrunners for Most Improved Player and is arguably the Blazers' best player. What's even more remarkable is his contract. As the fourth-highest-paid player on the team, earning just $14.3 million, Avdija is actually on a declining deal that sees him paid $13 million and $11.8 million over the following two seasons. 

He hasn’t won a championship, nor been an All-Star, and is not a leading scorer on his team, but what Zubac is is a foundational piece of the Clippers' future. A nightly double-double threat with points and rebounds, Zubac also provides LA’s other team with a solid rim protector. One of the most underrated players in the league, Zubac does all the little things that help make life easy for stars James Harden and Kawhi Leonard. Earning $18 million this season and just short of $21 million in 2027-28, the 28-year-old is on the path to earn himself a significant payday in a couple of years. 

He played a key role off the bench in the Celtics' run to the 2024 NBA Championship, and a year later, he captured the Sixth Man of the Year honors. This season, with the various injuries and departures that have impacted Boston's roster, Pritchard has slid into a starting role and has not disappointed. Averaging 16.5 points, five assists, and a shade under four rebounds, the sixth-year guard is doing his best to help keep the Celtics afloat in the Eastern Conference. Earning $7.2 million this season and up to $8.3 million when his deal expires in 2028, Pritchard gives the Celtics a player who can fit into the starting unit or provide a scoring punch off the bench.