Even after signing Victor Wembanyama to a contract extension where he left $50 million on the table, the San Antonio Spurs have to be careful.
Both Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper will be owed extensions of their own in the near future, and even if they follow Wembanyama’s example, they won’t be cheap. Devin Vassell, Julian Champagnie, De’Aaron Fox, Tobias Harris, Luke Kornet, and their recent draft picks are all under contract for the next couple of seasons, so there won’t be too many pressing signings.
Vassell has three seasons left on his five-year extension. He will make $27 million, $24 million, and $27 million in the next three years.
There’s really no rush to extend Vassell, though a window will be open where the Spurs could. From October 1-19, the Spurs are allowed to offer him a two-year extension, kickstarting another five years of him in San Antonio.
But should they?
Vassell is coming off one of the best seasons of his career. Sure, his scoring dipped to 13.1 points per game, but his shooting efficiency and general availability were better than usual. If the Spurs sit down with Vassell, he should be asking for a decent amount of money.
He’s earned it. The Spurs don’t have to make that investment, though.
Spurs Don’t Hold Bargaining Power…Yet
This season, Vassell played winning basketball for one of the best teams in the NBA. There’s no word of him wanting a bigger role or a change of scenery, but money talks.
Given his recent improvement, it stands to reason that Vassell would want a raise, or at least make the same amount of money. He could sign a two-year, $50 million extension, keeping him in town through the 2030-31 season. That would be reasonable.
Statistically, the two closest players to Vassell in the NBA last year were Malik Monk and Anfernee Simons. Monk, of course, played for the putrid Sacramento Kings. Simons, on the other hand, helped keep the Boston Celtics afloat without Jayson Tatum.
Next year, Monk is owed around $20 million. Simons, on the other hand, will be sitting at only $6 million. If he can stay healthy, expect him to command a lot more in his next free agency.
The market for a player like Vassell–on a winning team–is around $25 million per season. The Spurs need to keep money flexible for the long-term future. Plus, with Fox still on the roster, money is tied up.
Ideally, the Spurs will trade Fox for someone on a shorter contract. Once that deal expires, they can commit long-term money to Castle next summer and Harper in 2028. There should be more than enough for Vassell to get a fair deal after that.
Then, and only then, should the Spurs come to the table. For now, there’s no rush, and keeping their options as open as possible should be the priority.
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