George, Thompson Cash In; Miller, Wallace Up Next — SkimNews
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- Keyonte George and Ausar Thompson signed rookie-scale extensions on Friday — five years, $157.5 million with the Utah Jazz and five years, $155 million with the Detroit Pistons — becoming the third and fourth members of the 2023 draft class to lock in second contracts after Victor Wembanyama and Amen Thompson.
- Brandon Miller is positioned as the next likely max-level candidate after the Charlotte Hornets traded LaMelo Ball to Minnesota this offseason and committed to a young core built around Miller and Kon Knueppel; a projected extension is five years, $200 million, though Miller has missed 72 games across the past two seasons due to injury.
- Cason Wallace could become the top restricted free agent on the market if the Oklahoma City Thunder fail to extend him, with the team having cleared cap space this summer by trading Isaiah Joe and Lu Dort.
- Scoot Henderson's career has underwhelmed since going No. 3 overall to Portland — and a potential Trail Blazers backcourt of Ja Morant and Jrue Holiday could push him into a bench role, likely delaying any payday until next summer's restricted free agency cycle.
- Dereck Lively II has played only 43 games over the past two seasons after his promising rookie year on the Mavericks' Finals run; he underwent season-ending surgery in December and told reporters this summer he still could not run or jump.
- Jaime Jaquez Jr. was dealt from Miami to Milwaukee in the Giannis Antetokounmpo blockbuster and finished second in Sixth Man of the Year voting last season, but his extension timing with the Bucks remains unclear given Giannis-era roster uncertainty.
Why it matters: Charlotte's trade of LaMelo Ball to Minnesota is a deliberate all-in signal on Brandon Miller and a potential 5-year, $200M extension; meanwhile, Portland's crowded guard room — potentially Ja Morant and Jrue Holiday — could push Scoot Henderson to 2026 restricted free agency and force other teams with cap space to set the market for players like Cason Wallace.
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