Why Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green likely will not sign extensions this NBA offseason
Offseason begins for the champion Warriors
Unless Kyrie Irving, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson feel like helping out their teams’ billionaire owners, they have no real reason to sign contract extensions this summer. As such, the “news” that they are unlikely to do so should not be seen as a lack of loyalty or a sign that they don’t want to stay where they are for the next few seasons. If, in fact, they were inclined to sign extensions, their agents would advise them against it.
Let’s look at the numbers for each player, starting with Irving. If he was to sign an extension rather than waiting for free agency, the most that the Boston Celtics could offer him is a four-year, $107 million deal. While that is a lot of money, it is quite a bit less than the five-year, $187.9 million deal Boston could offer him next summer. Even if Irving was to leave the Celtics next July, he could make more than he could by signing an extension — other teams will be able to offer him a four-year, $139.3 million deal.
If Boston signs him to a max deal in 2019, it would owe Irving $40.2 million in 2022-23 and $42.8 million in 2023-24. Its incentive to extend Irving now — and pay him $29.9 million in 2022-23 — is obvious. Irving…
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