Wembanyama took the 25% rookie max instead of chasing a supermax worth up to about $303M, a choice reported to save the Spurs about $50M in room to keep depth.
Back to the trend of the day: Canada's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his Thunder start the season as joint favourites
Poly Rating · from the trend of the day
International NBA Best Value Contracts 2026-27
Victor Wembanyama won three playoff series and reached the 2026 Finals on $16.9M, just 10.2% of the cap, while Nikola Jokić and Giannis Antetokounmpo each take about 35%.
- No. 1: Victor Wembanyama
- 10 places
01Final list
The leading AIs each built their own list of ten independently. Here is one result that is easy to check: every place has a reason, a source, and the list of AIs that included it.
Order: from most to least AI agreement.
A bright badge means this AI put the entry on its list. A dim badge means it did not.
- 1
Victor Wembanyama
6.0 VORP (8.02 with playoffs) on 10.2% of the cap, and three 2026 playoff series as the Spurs' main scorer. His $252M extension doesn't start until 2027-28.
Included it: Claude, Gemini, Z.ai, Kimi. Did not include: ChatGPT, Meta, Nemotron, StepFun, DeepSeek, Wenxin.In their lists: Claude: 1 · Gemini: 1 · Z.ai: 1 · Kimi: 1
What each AI noted 4
- Claudeplace 1
6.0 VORP for about $16M, and he chose the 25% max over a supermax that could have reached $303M.
Source ↗ - Geminiplace 1
Delivered an All-NBA and DPOY-caliber impact while eating up less than 9% of his team's salary cap, leaving San Antonio $120M+ in spending room.
Source ↗ - Z.aiplace 1
Defensive Player of the Year, All-NBA First Team and three playoff series wins for a $16.9M cap hit — roughly a tenth of the cap for a top-five player, and his $252M extension doesn't even start until 2027-28.
Source ↗ - Kimiplace 1
A Defensive Player of the Year who dragged San Antonio to the NBA Finals at 10.2% of the salary cap - then signed his extension at the 25% tier, not the 30% supermax.
Source ↗
4 AIs put it here - 2
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
The 2025-26 MVP costs 24.7% of the cap and won two 2026 series. Sources disagree on his VORP: 7.8 in one AI's Basketball-Reference reading, 4.7 in another's.
Included it: Claude, Gemini, Z.ai, Kimi. Did not include: ChatGPT, Meta, Nemotron, StepFun, DeepSeek, Wenxin.In their lists: Claude: 2 · Gemini: 2 · Z.ai: 2 · Kimi: 2
What each AI noted 4
- Claudeplace 2
7.8 VORP at about 25% of the cap, and the 4-year, $285M supermax does not begin until 2027-28.
Source ↗ - Geminiplace 2
Carried the Thunder to a No. 1 seed and a playoff series sweep on a 25% rookie-max deal, allowing OKC to add $87M in veteran reinforcements before his $285M+ supermax.
Source ↗ - Z.aiplace 2
Back-to-back MVP and the 2025 championship while still costing under 25% of the cap — the supermax invoice only arrives in 2027-28, and it was bought with a title.
Source ↗ - Kimiplace 2
Back-to-back MVP money still costs only 24.7% of the cap this season - his supermax jumps to a $68.99M average in 2027-28, and he opened 2026-27 with 32 points on the champs.
Source ↗
4 AIs put it here - 3
Nikola Jokić
League-best 9.2 VORP, but his $59.0M takes 35.8% of the cap. Denver won no 2026 series: one source says it lost to Minnesota, another that it missed the playoffs.
Included it: Claude, Gemini, Z.ai, Kimi. Did not include: ChatGPT, Meta, Nemotron, StepFun, DeepSeek, Wenxin.In their lists: Claude: 4 · Gemini: 6 · Z.ai: 3 · Kimi: 3
What each AI noted 4
- Claudeplace 4
The league's best player by VORP (9.2, 9.8 with the playoffs) is already on the 35% supermax, so the surplus is smaller.
Source ↗ - Geminiplace 6
The league's undisputed statistical titan generates a 10.6 VORP that exceeds any max contract, but his 35% supermax has forced Denver to part with key title depth.
Source ↗ - Z.aiplace 3
An official triple-double season and a 9.2 VORP — nearly double anyone else alive — even while eating 35.8% of the cap; the league's biggest bill is still arguably underpriced.
Source ↗ - Kimiplace 3
The only near-35%-of-cap player still worth it: 82.5 career VORP and .265 WS/48 - the best per-minute producer alive, priced like it.
Source ↗
4 AIs put it here - 4
Luka Dončić
6.6 VORP and the 33.5-ppg scoring title for about 30-31% of the cap. Sources split on his salary: $49.5M on Spotrac, $51.0M on HoopsHype. Won one series.
Included it: Claude, Gemini, Z.ai, Kimi. Did not include: ChatGPT, Meta, Nemotron, StepFun, DeepSeek, Wenxin.In their lists: Claude: 5 · Gemini: 3 · Z.ai: 4 · Kimi: 4
What each AI noted 4
- Claudeplace 5
6.6 VORP for about $49.6M, but the 3-year, $165M max extension takes about 30% of the cap.
Source ↗ - Geminiplace 3
Powered a run to the 2024 NBA Finals as the playoffs' top scorer on a standard designated rookie max, generating 40%+ market value at a 30% cap cost.
Source ↗ - Z.aiplace 4
The NBA's scoring champion (33.5 ppg) at 31% of the cap — and he signed a shorter, below-35% extension on purpose to keep Los Angeles flexible.
Source ↗ - Kimiplace 4
Exactly 30.00% of the cap - he gave up a $48.97M option to sign his new deal - for a man who averaged 33.5 points a night last season.
Source ↗
4 AIs put it here - 5
Alperen Şengün
3.7 VORP for $35.6M, or 21.6% of the cap, a share that shrinks to 20.1% by 2029-30. The top-seeded Rockets still lost in round one.
Included it: Claude, Gemini, Z.ai, Kimi. Did not include: ChatGPT, Meta, Nemotron, StepFun, DeepSeek, Wenxin.In their lists: Claude: 6 · Gemini: 4 · Z.ai: 6 · Kimi: 6
What each AI noted 4
- Claudeplace 6
3.7 VORP is respectable, but $35.6M is about 22% of the cap for a second option.
Source ↗ - Geminiplace 4
Supplied near-triple-double offensive hub production for just $5.4M, giving Houston the financial leeway to stock a deep nine-man core.
Source ↗ - Z.aiplace 6
Top-ten VORP, 20-9-6 and a two-seed in the West for 22% of the cap — Houston's second building block costs less than half of what Giannis or Jokić take.
Source ↗ - Kimiplace 6
21.6% of the cap for a 24-year-old All-Star center - his deal actually shrinks as a cap share every year (21.95% -> 20.12%), the anti-supermax structure.
Source ↗
4 AIs put it here - 6
Giannis Antetokounmpo
$58.5M, or 35.4% of the cap, for 3.0 VORP in only 1,039 minutes. Milwaukee missed the 2026 playoffs before his reported trade to Miami.
Included it: Claude, Gemini, Z.ai, Kimi. Did not include: ChatGPT, Meta, Nemotron, StepFun, DeepSeek, Wenxin.In their lists: Claude: 7 · Gemini: 7 · Z.ai: 7 · Kimi: 5
What each AI noted 4
- Claudeplace 7
His $58.5M cap hit is about 35% of the cap, and 3.0 VORP came in only 1,039 minutes.
Source ↗ - Geminiplace 7
A perennial 30-PPG, 60% FG monster whose historic two-way dominance returns positive surplus value despite consuming over 34% of Milwaukee's payroll.
Source ↗ - Z.aiplace 7
27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists on 62.4% shooting at 35% of the cap — with zero 2026 playoff wins and a shock exit from Milwaukee to Miami: the superstar-salary cautionary tale.
Source ↗ - Kimiplace 5
Once announced as a $186M extension, the smaller cap made it $175.4M - so Miami acquired a two-time MVP at $58.46M, or 35.4% of the cap, with Pat Riley betting the house on it.
Source ↗
4 AIs put it here - 7
Jamal Murray
4.1 VORP, 11th in the NBA, but $50.1M is 30.4% of the cap for Jokić's second option. Sources disagree on how Denver's 2026 playoffs ended.
Included it: Claude, Gemini, Kimi. Did not include: ChatGPT, Meta, Nemotron, StepFun, Z.ai, DeepSeek, Wenxin.In their lists: Claude: 10 · Gemini: 9 · Kimi: 7
What each AI noted 3
- Claudeplace 10
4.1 VORP, 11th in the league, as the second option to Jokić.
Source ↗ - Geminiplace 9
Averaged 26.1 PPG across a championship run on a non-supermax deal, giving Denver the exact high-leverage playoff scoring it needed without eating supermax space.
Source ↗ - Kimiplace 7
All-NBA Third Team money at 30.37% of the cap - but he is the second option on a Nuggets team that quietly missed the 2026 playoffs entirely.
Source ↗
3 AIs put it here - 8
Franz Wagner
Top-10 value on talent, but an estimated $41.7M (25.3% of the cap) bought only 34 games in 2025-26 and a first-round exit.
Included it: Gemini, Z.ai, Kimi. Did not include: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, Nemotron, StepFun, DeepSeek, Wenxin.In their lists: Gemini: 5 · Z.ai: see list · Kimi: 9
What each AI noted 3
- Geminiplace 5
Anchored Orlando's top-3 defense and 20-PPG playoff scoring for only $7M, buying the Magic a full window to sign Kentavious Caldwell-Pope before his extension.
Source ↗ - Z.ai
Named differently in its own list: open the full list.
see list - Kimiplace 9
The cheapest young-star max in the league: a $224.2M extension that still eats only about a quarter of the cap - Orlando's window is priced like a rookie deal.
Source ↗
3 AIs put it here - 9
Deni Avdija
Second-best ratio on paper: 3.5 VORP on $13.1M, 8.0% of the cap, and an All-Star season. Only one AI gives the VORP, and Portland won no 2026 series.
Included it: Claude, Z.ai. Did not include: ChatGPT, Meta, Gemini, Nemotron, StepFun, Kimi, DeepSeek, Wenxin.In their lists: Claude: 3 · Z.ai: 5
What each AI noted 2
- Claudeplace 3
3.5 VORP and an All-Star year for $13.1M, about 8% of the cap, but his contract expires in 2027-28.
Source ↗ - Z.aiplace 5
A first-time All-Star whose cap hit goes DOWN — $13.1M next season, $11.9M the year after — one Blazers outlet called it 'the best contract in the NBA and it's not even close'.
Source ↗
2 AIs put it here - 10
Nickeil Alexander-Walker
Most Improved Player and 20.8 ppg for about 8.7% of the cap. theScore says $15.2M a year, a fan list says $14.4M, and no AI checked his VORP.
Included it: Claude, Kimi. Did not include: ChatGPT, Meta, Gemini, Nemotron, StepFun, Z.ai, DeepSeek, Wenxin.In their lists: Claude: 8 · Kimi: see list
2 AIs put it here
02Worth knowing
What the AIs noticed while building the list.
2026-27 is Oklahoma City's last season with Gilgeous-Alexander at 24.7% of the cap. His supermax of about $69M a year starts in 2027-28, which is when roster cuts get forced.
On the official $164.961M cap, a 35% supermax is about $57.7M. Jokić ($59.0M) and Curry sit above that because their deals were priced off higher cap projections.
MVP voters and box metrics split: Gilgeous-Alexander won the 2025-26 MVP, while Basketball-Reference's March tracker gave Jokić an 87.6% chance and Jokić led in VORP.
Jokić delayed a roughly $278M extension. Waiting until 2027 could set up a five-year deal of about $360M, above Tatum's $314M record.
03Questions people ask
What is the highest NBA contract?
Jayson Tatum's five-year supermax, logged by Spotrac at $313,933,410, is the largest by total value. A CBS Sports headline instead calls Jaylen Brown's deal the first $300M contract.
Source ↗What are the best value contracts in the NBA in 2026?
Among stars, Victor Wembanyama leads: 6.0 VORP on $16.9M, about 10.2% of the $164.961M cap, before his extension starts in 2027-28.
Source ↗What is the highest active NBA contract per year?
Stephen Curry has the highest 2026-27 cap hit at $62,587,158. Gilgeous-Alexander's supermax, about $69M a year, overtakes it in 2027-28.
Source ↗Why do sources give different contract figures?
Reports quote values at signing, while Spotrac logs the final numbers after cap changes. Gilgeous-Alexander's supermax is $285M as reported but $275,968,000 on Spotrac.
Source ↗04How we counted
In plain words, no formulas.
1The question
Top 10 international NBA stars by on-court value per salary-cap dollar
2Why this topic
It puts on-court value next to what the player costs, and neither the stats site nor the contracts site shows that ratio.
3Where it applies
NBA, current and recent seasons
4What we looked at
- Impact on the court (VORP, Estimated Plus-Minus)
- Share of the team's salary cap the player takes up
- Playoff series won as the team's main scorer
- Basketball-Reference advanced stats 2025-26 — Value over a replacement player (VORP), win shares per 48 minutes and box plus/minus for the regular season
- Basketball-Reference VORP leaders, regular season plus playoffs — VORP with 2026 playoff minutes added (Jokić 9.80, Gilgeous-Alexander 8.93, Wembanyama 8.02, Dončić 6.55)
- Spotrac cap hit and % of cap — Each player's 2026-27 cap hit and its share of the league cap
- NBA official 2026-27 salary cap — Cap of $164.961M, used as the denominator for every % of cap
- ESPN 2026 playoff bracket — Playoff series each team won in 2026
5Who ranked
The leading AIs, each building its own list of ten independently and naming a source for every place: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, Gemini, Nemotron, StepFun, Z.ai, Kimi, DeepSeek, Wenxin.
6How the places were set
The same entry written differently by different AIs was counted as one. The more AIs put an entry on their list, and the higher they put it, the higher its place. "AI agreement" shows how many of the AIs had it on their own list. Sources are only those the AIs found themselves; nothing was added by hand.
05Each AI's own list
🇺🇸 Claude10 places · 4 notes
The same question, answered by Claude alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.
- 1Victor Wembanyama (Spurs, France)
6.0 VORP for about $16M, and he chose the 25% max over a supermax that could have reached $303M.
Source ↗ - 2Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder, Canada)
7.8 VORP at about 25% of the cap, and the 4-year, $285M supermax does not begin until 2027-28.
Source ↗ - 3Deni Avdija (Trail Blazers, Israel)
3.5 VORP and an All-Star year for $13.1M, about 8% of the cap, but his contract expires in 2027-28.
Source ↗ - 4Nikola Jokić (Nuggets, Serbia)
The league's best player by VORP (9.2, 9.8 with the playoffs) is already on the 35% supermax, so the surplus is smaller.
Source ↗ - 5Luka Dončić (Lakers, Slovenia)
6.6 VORP for about $49.6M, but the 3-year, $165M max extension takes about 30% of the cap.
Source ↗ - 6Alperen Şengün (Rockets, Turkey)
3.7 VORP is respectable, but $35.6M is about 22% of the cap for a second option.
Source ↗ - 7Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece)
His $58.5M cap hit is about 35% of the cap, and 3.0 VORP came in only 1,039 minutes.
Source ↗ - 8Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Canada)
A Most Improved Player winner at about $15.2M a year, 8.7% of the cap.
Source ↗ - 9Ajay Mitchell (Thunder, Belgium)
A sixth-man candidate paid $2.9M a year, 1.7% of the cap, who plays beside Gilgeous-Alexander.
Source ↗ - 10Jamal Murray (Nuggets, Canada)
4.1 VORP, 11th in the league, as the second option to Jokić.
Source ↗
What Claude noticed
The pre-supermax gap is large. Wembanyama's year-one salary is about $16M and Gilgeous-Alexander's about $40.8M. Jokić ($59.0M) and Giannis ($58.5M) each take about 35% of the cap, close to $58M.
Wembanyama chose the 25% rookie max over a supermax that could have reached $303M. That is reported to save the Spurs about $50M, which is the room a contender uses to keep depth.
Counting playoff minutes, Wembanyama's VORP rises to 8.02 and overtakes Dončić, while Jokić (9.80) and Gilgeous-Alexander (8.93) still lead.
Avdija produced 3.5 VORP on $13.1M, but Portland reportedly cannot offer him the extension his All-Star year would earn.
🇺🇸 Gemini10 places · 3 notes
The same question, answered by Gemini alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.
- 1Victor Wembanyama (France)
Delivered an All-NBA and DPOY-caliber impact while eating up less than 9% of his team's salary cap, leaving San Antonio $120M+ in spending room.
Source ↗ - 2Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada)
Carried the Thunder to a No. 1 seed and a playoff series sweep on a 25% rookie-max deal, allowing OKC to add $87M in veteran reinforcements before his $285M+ supermax.
Source ↗ - 3Luka Dončić (Slovenia)
Powered a run to the 2024 NBA Finals as the playoffs' top scorer on a standard designated rookie max, generating 40%+ market value at a 30% cap cost.
Source ↗ - 4Alperen Şengün (Turkey)
Supplied near-triple-double offensive hub production for just $5.4M, giving Houston the financial leeway to stock a deep nine-man core.
Source ↗ - 5Franz Wagner (Germany)
Anchored Orlando's top-3 defense and 20-PPG playoff scoring for only $7M, buying the Magic a full window to sign Kentavious Caldwell-Pope before his extension.
Source ↗ - 6Nikola Jokić (Serbia)
The league's undisputed statistical titan generates a 10.6 VORP that exceeds any max contract, but his 35% supermax has forced Denver to part with key title depth.
Source ↗ - 7Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece)
A perennial 30-PPG, 60% FG monster whose historic two-way dominance returns positive surplus value despite consuming over 34% of Milwaukee's payroll.
Source ↗ - 8Domantas Sabonis (Lithuania)
Secured the NBA rebounding crown and 26 triple-doubles while operating on an adjusted extension below the 30% max ceiling.
Source ↗ - 9Jamal Murray (Canada)
Averaged 26.1 PPG across a championship run on a non-supermax deal, giving Denver the exact high-leverage playoff scoring it needed without eating supermax space.
Source ↗ - 10Pascal Siakam (Cameroon)
Propelled Indiana to the Eastern Conference Finals as their playoff top scorer while carrying an expiring sub-supermax hit before his new contract began.
Source ↗
What Gemini noticed
The rookie-contract surplus gap: Generational stars like Victor Wembanyama (~$12.8M) deliver top-5 NBA production while taking up under 10% of the salary cap, granting front offices over $120M in surplus room compared to supermax peers.
Oklahoma City's championship window was unlocked by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's pre-supermax deal: making 25% of the cap instead of 35% gave the Thunder room to sign Isaiah Hartenstein ($87M) and retain depth before SGA's historic extension takes effect.
The Second Apron penalty makes 35% supermax stars harder to surround: while Nikola Jokić and Giannis Antetokounmpo still produce positive surplus value, their cap hits forced Denver and Milwaukee to shed rotation players like Bruce Brown and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
🇨🇳 Z.ai10 places · 4 notes
The same question, answered by Z.ai alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.
- 1Victor Wembanyama (France)
Defensive Player of the Year, All-NBA First Team and three playoff series wins for a $16.9M cap hit — roughly a tenth of the cap for a top-five player, and his $252M extension doesn't even start until 2027-28.
Source ↗ - 2Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada)
Back-to-back MVP and the 2025 championship while still costing under 25% of the cap — the supermax invoice only arrives in 2027-28, and it was bought with a title.
Source ↗ - 3Nikola Jokić (Serbia)
An official triple-double season and a 9.2 VORP — nearly double anyone else alive — even while eating 35.8% of the cap; the league's biggest bill is still arguably underpriced.
Source ↗ - 4Luka Dončić (Slovenia)
The NBA's scoring champion (33.5 ppg) at 31% of the cap — and he signed a shorter, below-35% extension on purpose to keep Los Angeles flexible.
Source ↗ - 5Deni Avdija (Israel)
A first-time All-Star whose cap hit goes DOWN — $13.1M next season, $11.9M the year after — one Blazers outlet called it 'the best contract in the NBA and it's not even close'.
Source ↗ - 6Alperen Şengün (Turkey)
Top-ten VORP, 20-9-6 and a two-seed in the West for 22% of the cap — Houston's second building block costs less than half of what Giannis or Jokić take.
Source ↗ - 7Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece)
27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists on 62.4% shooting at 35% of the cap — with zero 2026 playoff wins and a shock exit from Milwaukee to Miami: the superstar-salary cautionary tale.
Source ↗ - 8Dyson Daniels (Australia)
The league's steals king and an All-Defensive guard on a flat $25M a year — Atlanta paid for the pest before the market could.
Source ↗ - 9Josh Giddey (Australia)
17-8-9 on a $25M flat deal — a primary initiator at half price — then ankle surgery; the breakout that health turned into an asterisk.
Source ↗ - 10Rudy Gobert (France)
Declined a $46.6M option, took about $36.5M a year instead — and the models still can't agree whether he's underpaid or replaceable.
Source ↗
What Z.ai noticed
The best-value contract in basketball is still growing into itself: Wembanyama's 5-year, $252M extension (ESPN's figure; Spotrac logs $255.2M) doesn't start until 2027-28, so San Antonio gets one more DPOY-caliber season at $16.9M before the bill arrives — exactly the window co-favorites are built on.
OKC's depth model has a known expiry date: SGA's $40.8M for 2026-27 was calculated at just 24.7% of the cap, which is how the Thunder kept Hartenstein, Caruso and their young extensions together — the ~$69M-a-year supermax starting 2027-28 is when roster decisions get forced.
Jokić is playing the long game: eligible for a four-year, ~$278M extension now, he delayed — waiting until 2027 could set up a record five-year deal worth around $360M, which would top Tatum's $314M as the largest in NBA history.
Even 'best contract' is contested: a Portland outlet argued Deni Avdija's declining deal — $14.4M falling to $11.9M — beats every other contract in the NBA, Wembanyama's included. Value rankings genuinely disagree with each other, not just with MVP voters.
🇨🇳 Kimi10 places · 4 notes
The same question, answered by Kimi alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.
- 1Victor Wembanyama (France, San Antonio Spurs)
A Defensive Player of the Year who dragged San Antonio to the NBA Finals at 10.2% of the salary cap - then signed his extension at the 25% tier, not the 30% supermax.
Source ↗ - 2Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada, Oklahoma City Thunder)
Back-to-back MVP money still costs only 24.7% of the cap this season - his supermax jumps to a $68.99M average in 2027-28, and he opened 2026-27 with 32 points on the champs.
Source ↗ - 3Nikola Jokić (Serbia, Denver Nuggets)
The only near-35%-of-cap player still worth it: 82.5 career VORP and .265 WS/48 - the best per-minute producer alive, priced like it.
Source ↗ - 4Luka Dončić (Slovenia, Los Angeles Lakers)
Exactly 30.00% of the cap - he gave up a $48.97M option to sign his new deal - for a man who averaged 33.5 points a night last season.
Source ↗ - 5Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece, Miami Heat)
Once announced as a $186M extension, the smaller cap made it $175.4M - so Miami acquired a two-time MVP at $58.46M, or 35.4% of the cap, with Pat Riley betting the house on it.
Source ↗ - 6Alperen Şengün (Türkiye, Houston Rockets)
21.6% of the cap for a 24-year-old All-Star center - his deal actually shrinks as a cap share every year (21.95% -> 20.12%), the anti-supermax structure.
Source ↗ - 7Jamal Murray (Canada, Denver Nuggets)
All-NBA Third Team money at 30.37% of the cap - but he is the second option on a Nuggets team that quietly missed the 2026 playoffs entirely.
Source ↗ - 8Pascal Siakam (Cameroon, Indiana Pacers)
24.0 points a night for 29.66% of the cap - efficient scoring at fair price, but Indiana watched the 2026 playoffs from home.
Source ↗ - 9Franz Wagner (Germany, Orlando Magic)
The cheapest young-star max in the league: a $224.2M extension that still eats only about a quarter of the cap - Orlando's window is priced like a rookie deal.
Source ↗ - 10Ivica Zubac (Croatia, Indiana Pacers)
312 rebounds - fifth in the entire NBA before Christmas - for 12.3% of the cap: the league's cheapest starting center just moved to Indiana.
Source ↗
What Kimi noticed
Wembanyama is the single biggest star bargain in the league and it is not close: 10.23% of the cap in 2026-27 for a DPOY who won three playoff series as San Antonio's main scorer, and he deliberately signed at the 25% max tier (about $50M left on the table) to keep the Spurs' books open.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Donovan Mitchell signed identical 4-year, $275,968,000 extensions ($68,992,000 AAV) starting 2027-28 - meaning this is the final season OKC gets an MVP-level guard at $40.8M, only 24.7% of the cap.
The 2026-27 salary cap is $164,961,000 (Basketball-Reference), the largest ever - so even a full 35% supermax slot is now ~$57.7M, which is why Jokić at $59.03M is slightly above one max slot yet still ranks top-3 in value.
Parity is squeezing value judgments: the 2026 Knicks were the eighth consecutive unique NBA champion (first New York title since 1973), and betting markets now rate OKC and San Antonio co-favourites - mostly because both still have franchise players below market rate.