Victor Wembanyama may be preparing to do something you almost never see from a 22-year-old franchise star: take less than the max.
NBA insider Jake Fischer reported Friday that there’s chatter in Las Vegas that Wembanyama is considering signing for less than his full five-year, $251 million maximum rookie scale extension. The idea, according to the report, is to give the San Antonio Spurs more salary cap flexibility so they can put better playmakers around him.
That rumor picked up steam just hours after Wembanyama posted on X, formerly Twitter: "Spurs family, I'm here to stay. Whatever it takes." Fischer linked the two, suggesting the message and the contract talk were connected.
There’s still nothing official. The Spurs have already put their maximum offer on the table, and Wembanyama became eligible to sign on July 6 under the CBA’s extension rules. But neither San Antonio nor the league has announced a deal.
The timing matters because of what Wembanyama just accomplished. He finished the season averaging 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 3.1 blocks per game, a stat line that puts him firmly among the game’s elite.
That production helped him land a unanimous Defensive Player of the Year award, his first All-NBA First Team selection, and a trip to the NBA Finals in only his third season. The Spurs went 62-20, beat the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in a seven-game Western Conference Finals, and then fell 4-1 to the New York Knicks.
The financial stakes are huge. Wembanyama’s baseline extension sits at $251 million, but if he wins an MVP, All-NBA, or Defensive Player of the Year award next season, that figure climbs past $300 million.
Players usually start giving money back late in their careers when they’re chasing one last title. Seeing that kind of sacrifice from someone this young would be rare.
For now, it’s still just a rumor out of Las Vegas. But if Wembanyama really signs below the max, it would send a clear message about where his priorities are.
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