Making one of the All-NBA teams is not just a matter of prestige and recognition for basketball players. Now, the voting of these honors has practical effects on the money certain players can earn on their contracts.
In order to incentivize the best players to remain with their current teams, the league made changes that allow teams to offer more money via the “supermax” contracts to their veteran, often homegrown star players who either win an MVP, get named Defensive Player of the Year, or make one of the All-NBA teams in a recent season.
So who was most strongly affected by the All-NBA voting? Let’s take a look.
1) Klay Thompson loses about $30 million
Thompson has made five straight All-Star teams, but he did not make the All-NBA team. He also did not make an All-NBA team in either of the previous two seasons, which will prevent him from signing a supermax deal. Rather than being eligible to sign a 5-year, $221 million contract, he will be able to top out at around $191 million over five years in a deal from the Warriors. This is good news for the Warriors, as he will be somewhat cheaper to sign. They also can offer Thompson much more money and an extra year compared to other teams looking to sign him as a free agent.
2) Kemba Walker cashes in big if he wants to stay in Charlotte
Kemba did make the All-NBA third team, and that’s big news for him. Being named All-NBA in the season he’s qualified for a new contract makes him eligible for the supermax extension. That means the Charlotte Hornets could offer him a supermax contract for five years and around $221 million. If he wants to leave the Hornets and sign elsewhere as a free agent, the most another team could offer is four years for around $141 million. That’s a difference of about $80 million, and a big boost to Charlotte’s chances of retaining him.
3) Damian Lillard qualifies for supermax contract
Lillard has seven years of service and has two years remaining on his contract, which makes him eligible for a four-year supermax contract extension. By making All-NBA this season (he was on the second team), he qualifies for a supermax. The Portland Trail Blazers reportedly plan to give him a four-year, $191 million contract extension, which would keep him under contract with the team through 2025.
4) Bradley Beal misses out on supermax, for now
Beal had a great season for the Washington Wizards but won’t be able to capitalize on it financially this offseason. Drafted the same year as Lillard, he is in a similar spot of having seven years of service and two years remaining on his contract. Had he made All-NBA, he would have been eligible for the four-year supermax contract Lillard is likely to sign. Still, this isn’t the end of the world for Beal. If he makes All-NBA next season, he would be eligible for a five-year supermax contract, which would be even more lucrative for him.
5) Giannis Antetokounmpo positioned to sign largest contract in history
Giannis has developed into one of the best players in the world and may soon have a contract to match. He would be qualified for a five-year supermax next summer and has now made All-NBA in the two previous seasons, meaning he will be eligible to sign it. If he and the Bucks want it, Antetokounmpo is set up for the largest contract in history.
6) Karl-Anthony Towns misses out on $32 million
Towns signed a 5-year designated veteran contract extension for 25 percent of the salary cap with Minnesota last year. The contract value could have been worth up to $191 million (30 percent of the cap) if Towns had made the All-NBA team or won MVP or Defensive Player of the Year. He’ll still be making around $158 million on his deal.
