Five fascinating NBA Western Conference extension candidates

After examining the Eastern Conference, let’s turn our attention to the West and look at five intriguing extension-eligible players.

Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Lakers

Reaves has one year at $14 million remaining on his current contract, before a player option which he will surely decline. His status as an undrafted player meant that his $53.8 million deal was his max, a contract that he has easily outperformed. With a full 140% raise, Reaves would be able to sign for $89 million over four years. Again, less than his worth.

With that in mind, expect Reaves to play out this season, decline his option and then re-sign with the Lakers for a considerable amount of money this time next year.

Norman Powell, Los Angeles Clippers

Powell’s career year saw him far outperform his $19 million salary. At 32 years old, will Norm choose to lock in a long-term pay rise now? Importantly, what do the Clippers want to do? For all their veteran talent, their cap sheet is remarkably clean going forward, with Ivica Zubac their only significant salary come the 2028 season.

Powell will get his raise. It’s just a matter of how much. He might want $30 million or more. The Clippers would prefer to keep it under $25 million per season. As a compromise, expect either a three-year deal for $75 million or a two-year contract at something around $55 million.

Christian Braun, Denver Nuggets

Denver’s starting unit remains among the best five-man lineups in the NBA. With four of those players holding long-term deals, Christian Braun's extension negotiations will be fascinating.

With $187 million committed to 10 players for next season (Dario Saric opting into his final year adds $5.5 million to that), the Nuggets are right at the first apron. Finding anybody willing to take on the deals of Zeke Nnaji and Saric would help immensely, though that remains unlikely.

Braun will want, and deserve, somewhere between $25 million and $30 million per season. How Denver manages that without hitting the dreaded second apron will be worth watching.

De'Aaron Fox, San Antonio Spurs

Fox made it clear that he wanted to land in San Antonio. The Spurs made it clear they wanted him. Then Dylan Harper landed in their lap. Can they realistically commit to Fox while developing Harper and Stephon Castle, especially given two of those three are on the same timeline as Victor Wembanyama? The spacing those three guards provide is positively 1985-ish.

San Antonio, though, is league-renowned for looking after its players. Expect the Spurs to roll with Fox for the short term at least, signing him to a full four-year, $229 million extension. Depending on who comes on the market, that gives the Spurs options as far as trades go.

Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis Grizzlies

There is an argument that Jackson has surpassed Ja Morant as the Grizzlies' best — and most important — player. That makes re-signing him imperative. However, his current under-market-value deal complicates matters.

As things stand, Jackson could only sign a four-year, $147 million extension, which is basically half of what he could get with Memphis as a free agent this time next year. Of course, the Grizz don’t want Jackson reaching free agency under any circumstances.

There is a solution. Using cap space, Memphis could ink a short-term deal with Jackson, upping his salary this season, therefore making the 140% raise he would get in an extension worth more cold, hard cash. They currently have almost $7 million available, taking a potential extension up to $190 million. If Memphis can find a way to clear $14 million in space, then a short-term pay rise would see JJJ able to extend on a max deal.