“$400,000,000”: Shaquille O’Neal Promotes Idea of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Overtaking Jaylen Brown’s Deal by $96 Million in 3 Years

This year’s free agency signings shocked the NBA community after completing $1 billion worth of transactions within the first hour of the market opening. Since then, a lot of players have signed max contracts worth staggering amounts of money, the latest addition being Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown, who reportedly agreed to a whopping $304 million five-year extension with his franchise earlier today. The fact that players who are not necessarily in the MVP conversation are being offered such exorbitant deals indicates the NBA’s growing muscles in a booming market. Keeping in mind the league’s revenue amid an impending TV deal, CBS Sports recently projected the player who could bag the NBA’s first $400,000,000+ contract, Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. And Shaquille O’Neal seems thrilled at the prospect.

NBA insider Shams Charania recently reported that Jaylen Brown is set to sign a fully guaranteed $304 million five-year contract, the richest in the history of the league. The deal doesn’t have a player option but contains a trade kicker. Meanwhile, after Brown’s deal stunned the NBA community, Sam Quinn of CBS explained the logistics of how Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could bag $96 million more than Brown’s current deal in just three years.

Shaquille O’Neal shares CBS sports report predicting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s $400 million contract

Shaquille O’Neal recently shared a post on his Instagram stories which featured CBS Sports’ report projecting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to be the NBA’s first $400 million contract holder. “400,000,000,” the post highlighted the number with a photoshopped image of Gilgeous-Alexander holding a bag full of cash. Sam Quinn explains in his report that players can’t receive any random amount of money from their franchise. Their salaries are basically percentages of the NBA salary cap, negotiated based on the guidelines stipulated by the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

For instance, a rookie extension can only promise 25% of the salary cap, which could be extended to 30% depending on All-NBA nominations, MVP or DPOY awards etc. Similarly, players who have spent seven to nine years in the league are eligible for 30% of the salary cap, with the potential to be extended up to 35%.

Quinn noted that the NBA’s coffers are currently booming, thanks to increased revenue and an impending TV deal promising billions. However, the new CBA stipulates that the salary cap can’t increase more than 10% in the course of one season. Therefore, calculating the projected salary cap for the next few seasons, Quinn predicted the contract extensions that various NBA stars could avail in the future.

Based on a minimum of 10% increase every year, the projected NBA salary cap will be $199,148,346 in the 2027-28 season. This will allow a max contract extension of $404,271,140 for five years that year, with the player being eligible for $69,701,921 the first year and a 8% raise every year after that. Sam Quinn predicts Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to be the lucky man who will set the new record.

Nikola Jokic’s chances to bag the deal

Quinn further added that Nikola Jokic could also end up bagging the deal before anyone. He would be eligible for the deal the same year as a designated veteran. However, the Denver Nuggets are likely to sign the 2023 NBA champion much earlier, before his deal nears an end. Therefore, he is unlikely to avail the full scope of the $400 million deal.

In fact, Quinn pointed out how the stars aligned perfectly for Brown to sign his current deal. He was in the last year of his contract and had also secured All-NBA honors this year, which ensured him the maximum possible contract, that will kick in from the 2024-25 season.