The 2023 NBA draft will always be known as the year the San Antonio Spurs landed center Victor Wembanyama with the No. 1 overall pick and likely changed the fortunes of their franchise for the next 2 decades.
Now, with the 2023 draft class about to become eligible for their 1st massive contract extensions this offseason, Wembanyama and a few other members of his class are about to cash in, including Detroit Pistons shooting guard Ausar Thompson, the No. 5 overall pick.
Spotrac’s Keith Smith predicts Thompson is in line for a 5-year, $135 million contract extension — some $50 million behind the projected contract for twin brother and Houston Rockets point guard Amen Thompson, the No. 4 overall pick.
“Unlike his brother, Ausar Thompson hasn’t developed as much on offense,” Smith wrote. “The playmaking has improved steadily, but shooting and scoring aren’t there. Thompson is solely a dependent player on offense, who scores off cuts, in transition and second-chances. On the flip side, Thompson is every bit the defender his brother is, and arguably better. That’s going to get him paid, but the lack of offensive game means he won’t get as much as his brother will.”
Contract Predictions for 2023 1st Round Picks
In Smith’s latest model, just 9 of the 30 picks from the 1st round of the 2023 NBA draft seem like locks to land extensions:
- No. 1, Victor Wembanyama, C, San Antonio Spurs (5 years, $302.3 million)
- No. 2, Brandon Miller, F, Charlotte Hornets (5 years, $200 million)
- No. 4, Amen Thompson, PG, Houston Rockets (5 years, $185 million)
- No. 5, Ausar Thompson, SG, Detroit Pistons (5 years, $135 million)
- No. 6, Anthony Black, SG, Orlando Magic (4 years, $80 million)
- No. 10, Cason Wallace, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder (4 years, $108 million)
- No. 16, Keyonte George, SG, Utah Jazz (4 years, $152 million)
- No. 19, Brandon Podziemski, SG, Golden State Warriors (4 years, $64 million)
- No. 26, Ben Sheppard, SF, Indiana Pacers (3 years, $30 million)
Smith listed 3 more 2023 1st round picks essentially on the fence when it came to possible extensions:
- No. 18, Jaime Jaquez Jr., SF, Miami Heat (4 years, $78 million)
- No. 25, Marcus Sasser, PG, Detroit Pistons (4 years, $32 million)
- No. 28, Brice Sensabaugh, SF, Utah Jazz (3 years, $30 million)
Most notably, Smith predicts the Portland Trail Blazers will not offer a contract extension to point guard and No. 3 overall pick Scoot Henderson.
Stephen Curry’s Decade Reign Atop Earnings List
Golden State Warriors guard and 4-time NBA champion Stephen Curry was the highest-paid player in the NBA in 2025-26 with a salary of approximately $65.2 million — a top spot he’s held all but 1 year since 2017-18.
Curry will almost certainly see his last year at the top of the list in 2026-27, when he banks an incredible $62.5 million.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic missed the opportunity to take over the No. 1 spot from Curry when he was traded from the Dallas Mavericks in February 2025. Had Doncic remained with the Mavericks, he would have been eligible for a 5-year, $345 million supermax contract — approximately $69 million per season.
Don’t feel too bad for Doncic. He signed a 3-year, $160.3 million contract extension with the Lakers that runs through the 2027-28 season and includes a player option for 2028-29. At that point, with 10 years in the NBA, he will once again be eligible for a supermax — a contract some think could land in the range of 5 years for $420 million.
NBA career scoring leader and Lakers forward LeBron James tops the NBA career earnings list with approximately $581.3 million through the end of the 2025-26 season.
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