Why Thunder Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Could Earn the NBA's First $400 Million Contract

As the economic state of the league continues to improve from season to season, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finds himself in a position to benefit from remaining loyal as the Thunder's cornerstone, potentially earning the NBA's richest contract by 2027.

With every passing season, the NBA continues to get richer. 

It's a long-awaited truth, and one that's especially true now that the new CBA is in effect, but specifically for Oklahoma City Thunder fans, it could mean something bigger than just that. 

Jaylen Brown, the league's newest highest-paid player, recently signed the biggest deal in NBA history, notching $304 million over the next five years, and paving the way for Jayson Tatum to do the same next summer with a $328 contract of his own. Other teams haven't seen that kind of pay increase just yet, but soon enough, higher yearly salaries will start making contracts north of $300 more of a regularity. 

But what about $400 million? 

"Supermax contracts that kick in for the 2027-28 season are the first batch expected to hit $400 million [in NBA history]," CBS Sports wrote in a recent analysis of the NBA contract market. "The group of players we need to look for are players currently on rookie extensions who are slated for free agency in the summer of 2028." 

Sound like a familiar situation? Thunder star point guard Shai Gilgeous Alexander is entering the second year of his rookie extension, and is slated for free agency in the summer of 2028. But it's not just his current contract that puts him in play for the league's first $400 million contract. It's his situation.

Players who re-sign with their current team at the time of their extension are eligible for max contracts depending on their experience level. When SGA is up for his extension, he'll have nine seasons of experience, putting him in the middle category and paving the way for him to earn 30 percent of Oklahoma City's total cap space. 

But to sweeten the pot, he's earned All-NBA honors, having made last season's First Team, which would make him eligible to increase that percentage to 35 — otherwise known as the supermax. 

That phrase isn't uncommon, especially for the NBA's top talent, but Shai's case is extra special given the increasing economic value of the league. Under the new CBA, a team's salary cap is expected to increase by 10 percent every season, putting Gilgeous-Alexander in a favorable spot

"[The prime candidate here is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander," CBS Sports continued. "[He] did not get a player-option on the last year of his rookie extension, so if he wants to tack five years onto his deal, he will have to wait until the summer of 2026. If he does so and remains at the All-NBA level he reached last season, he has a real chance to become the NBA's first $400 million player." 

Assuming the All-NBA point guard continues to perform at a high level and earns multiple additional season-honors in the coming years, Gilgeous-Alexander will be eligible for the maximum extension with Oklahoma City at the highest percentage, leaving him with an extremely high starting salary that would only increase every season, to the point where he'd earn over a million dollars for every game of the season. Here's what that could look like: 

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Potential Contract

2027-28 (Year 1): $69,701,921

2028-29 (Year 2): $75,278,074

2029-30 (Year 3): $80,854,228

2030-31 (Year 4): $86,430,382

2031-32 (Year 5): $92,006,535

TOTAL: $404,271,140 over 5 Years

Not bad considering how SGA tends to be left out of conversations involving some of the NBA's superstars. He's got the talent — and proved that last year — but he also has the potential to be a cornerstone for the Thunder, not just a rental until he finds a bigger market. That's why OKC re-signed him in the first place.

If the Thunder continue to improve around Gilgeous-Alexander and its young core, there'd be no reason not to extend the point guard for the long run. The only difference would be the amount of money given the league's increased revenue. 

And chances are, Shai is worth much more than $400 million to the Thunder, though he'll have to settle with that figure until the league can afford more. But he won't be complaining.

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