The rookie-extension market is starting to move, and the latest domino was Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George, who recently agreed to a five-year, $157.5 million deal. That was expected. What comes next, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, could be even more interesting.
Charania said Friday that Charlotte Hornets star Brandon Miller and Detroit Pistons guard Ausar Thompson are the next names to watch as the 2023 draft class works through rookie-scale negotiations.
“Brandon Miller and then the No. 5 pick, Ausar Thompson, they’re both in active conversations with their teams. I’m told there is optimism with an Ausar Thompson extension in Detroit,” said ESPN’s Shams Charania on NBA Today.
“And then I would also keep an eye on Cason Wallace, Brandin Podziemski, Jaime Jaquez…and Anthony Black, who’s also a high draft pick in that class. But I would look at both Brandon Miller and Ausar Thompson to have more and more conversations with their respective teams, the Hornets and the Pistons, in the upcoming days and weeks.”
Miller sits at the center of Charlotte’s plans. The Hornets, along with Kon Knueppel, view him as a franchise cornerstone, and after being drafted second overall in 2023, he’s positioned for a larger responsibility now that LaMelo Ball is gone.
Last season, Miller played 65 games and put up 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game while shooting 43.5% from the field. At 23, he’s already being discussed as the kind of player Charlotte could commit to with a deal north of $200 million.
Thompson’s situation in Detroit is trending better than the one involving Jalen Duren, where the standoff continues. Even though Thompson’s numbers don’t jump off the page - 9.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game on 52.5% shooting last season - the Pistons clearly place a premium on what he brings beyond the box score. In fact, they value him even above their starting center.
There are also a handful of other 2023 first-rounders heading toward smaller extensions rather than max-level money. Cason Wallace of the Thunder, Brandin Podziemski of the Warriors, Jaime Jaquez Jr. of the Heat, and Anthony Black of the Magic are all in that group. Those talks are likely to be shaped by how they perform this season, and each player has until mid-April to land a new contract.
For this draft class, the next few months carry real weight. They’re still early in their careers, but the choices made now could set the tone for what comes next. Miller and Thompson could have deals in place before opening night, and if they do, the expectations will only rise from there.
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One hypothetical construction has Brooklyn trying to solve its own frontcourt question by prying Duren loose in a sign-and-trade, while Detroit would be weighing whether the return is worth moving on. The idea is built around the kind of deal that can reshape both teams timelines, but until something concrete emerges, it remains just that, a framework for how much leverage and intrigue still surround Durens next contract. [Read more 🡒]
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The appeal of a multi-year pact is obvious, yet the real challenge is making sure it does not become a burden later if Detroit needs to reshape the roster around Cunningham. There is a clear case for thinking beyond the headline number and treating the contract as a tool, not just a reward, because the way money is distributed over time can affect both future cap management and trade value. For a team trying to build sustainably, the fine print on Durens extension may matter almost as much as the player himself. [Read more 🡒]