RealGM

Max can vary but lets take 25% max deal. I think Ayton had the 25% max and it's at $35.5k (has dropped now to 23% cap but still a max deal at the time).

So for this list, lets just do players with less than $35.5k in 25-26 season that are non-rookie deals.

Who are they? List candidates here.

Deni Avdija is the obvious choice.

Reaves and White (Chicago) are pretty good options as well but only have 1 year left then UFA

Pritchard's deal now looks quite good.

Deni Avdija 38/3
Pritchard 23/3
Excellent players but on expiring:
JJJ 28/1
PJ Washington 14/1
Reaves 13/1
White 12/1

I think Pelicans have 2 guys worth mentioning:

Herb Jones

Trey Murphy

Sengun's gotta be on here. 22 year old all star making below the 25% max

Brunson makes the cut, adding him

Derrick White
Cam Johnson
Mikal Bridges
Luguentz Dort
Onyeka Okongwu

Aaron Wiggins is still on the books for 4/34 from next season. Very long term and descending for a player who has been in a finals rotation this season.

Pritchard with 3 years remaining for a total of $23.3M. $7.2M next season.

Edit, just saw it at the end of giberish’s post. Agreed.

Has no one named Nesmith, McConell, Nembhard or Toppin?

Zubac

Astaluego wrote:Has no one named Nesmith, McConell, Nembhard or Toppin?

Nesmith is criminally underpaid, Nembhard is underpaid, I don't think Toppin is underpaid, I wouldn't absorb his deal into cap space.

Mavrelous wrote:

Astaluego wrote:Has no one named Nesmith, McConell, Nembhard or Toppin?

Nesmith is criminally underpaid, Nembhard is underpaid, I don't think Toppin is underpaid, I wouldn't absorb his deal into cap space.

Agree on Nesmith and Nembhard

I'm not sure how many DET fans agree with me, but I'd take Toppin into cap space. Heck, I'd kick in a couple of SPRs and take him into our NTMLE. A bench player who can make a difference in the playoffs is not to be sneezed at

Jalen Suggs

His percentage of the cap the next 4 seasons according to spotrac:
19.1%
15.8%
13.6%
12.4%

I say Jalen Johnson, Herb Jones, and Trey Murphy III

Herb Jones, Trey Murphy, Derrick White, Pritchard, Nembhard, Nesmith, Avdija, and Brunson all come to mind.

Guys like Brunson don’t typically pass up on up to $100M on the contract through their prime, so while he’s paid a ton, the “pay cut” he took allows them to afford an extra great player or 2 or depth.