Five players who have earned a raise during the NBA playoffs

The NBA playoffs are a crucible where players are tested, weaknesses exposed, and for some impending free agents, bundles of money are earned. 

Here are five players whose performances have raised their value for the summer transaction season.

Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner

Turner is in the final year of a two-year extension he signed during the 2022-23 season. The center got $17M added to his 2022-23 salary, in exchange for a more modest salary the last two seasons (just under $20M this year), which allowed the Pacers the financial flexibility to add All-Star Pascal Siakam to their core.

The playoffs have shown that Turner's combination of outside shooting and shot-blocking works perfectly in Indiana's system. He's making 1.8 three-pointers at a 45 percent clip, while leading all players with 2.5 blocks per game. If Indiana lets Turner go for payroll reasons, plenty of teams should be ready to snatch him.

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle

Randle has a player option for 2025-26 worth $30.9M, which is a small decrease from this year's $33.1M. At age 30, this summer may be Randle's last chance to truly cash in with a multiyear deal, and he's making his case for such by shooting over 50 percent in the playoffs.

After an adjustment period, Randle has been huge for the Timberwolves since December. It may come down to how happy he is in Minneapolis, but Randle has made himself indispensable to this Wolves team.

Timberwolves big man Naz Reid

After winning Sixth Man of the Year in 2023-24, Reid followed that up by increasing his scoring, rebounding and assists this season. He's making 46.7 percent of his three-pointers in the playoffs and shooting 53.3 percent from the field. He's primarily faced small-ball lineups on defense, but averaged 0.9 blocks and 0.6 steals.

Reid is averaging 11 points on 7.5 shots in the playoffs, with his presence bending defenses by forcing other big men out to the perimeter to chase him. He's likely to opt out of next year's $15M deal for something longer and more lucrative. While it's hard to imagine the Wolves letting Reid go, he's improving his stock this spring.

Detroit Pistons guard Dennis Schröder

Schröder has bounced from lucrative contracts to veteran minimum deals in the last few years. This year was a roller coaster. The Brooklyn Nets traded Schroder to the Golden State Warriors, where he struggled and eventually ended up with the Pistons after he was included in the Jimmy Butler trade.

While his Pistons didn't advance past the first round, Schröder averaged 12.5 points, putting up double figures off the bench in three games and dishing out nine assists in their Game 6 loss. He's another player who might be most valuable to his current team, but after a season where two different teams ditched him, the playoffs have put Schröder in line for a better contract.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome

Jerome had some shooting struggles against the Pacers, with Darius Garland limited by a toe injury. But in the first round, Jerome averaged 16.3 points off the bench, headlined by a 28-point effort in his first career playoff game. He may be overextended as a starting guard in the playoffs, but Jerome is an intriguing option for teams that need instant offense off the bench.