Jaylen Brown made news in late July when he agreed to a record contract deal with the Boston Celtics, elevating him to the position of highest-paid NBA player ever. Brown’s contract is probably going to get worse as the salary cap rises and more players qualify for extensions.
Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinal reports that Jimmy Butler might ask for an extension of his own deal. If Butler received such an extension with the Miami Heat, it would likely surpass Brown’s and possibly make him the highest-paid player in the NBA.
Winderman wrote: “In fact, should Lillard be acquired, or perhaps even if he isn’t, expect Butler to move to the front burner with his right to move into negotiations for an extension of a contract that would otherwise expire in 2025–26 at $52.4 million that season (Lillard is due $58.6 million that season).” Butler would be “in essence asking for something even beyond Jaylen Brown money,” he continued.
One of the most dominant players in the 2023 NBA Playoffs was Butler. After having a difficult season, the Heat persevered through the play-in round, defeating the Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, and New York Knicks on route to the NBA Finals. Butler’s performances served as the starting point for that streak. On the basis of prior success, the Heat should be cautious before paying its star forward.
When Butler enters the final year of his current contract, which is a player option for $52.4 million, he will be 36. Butler will certainly become one of the NBA’s highest-paid players in his late thirties with any extension. Committing a substantial percentage of the cap to Butler so late in his career is a legitimate risk for a player who depends on his physicality to drive the lane.
However, an NBA player’s career is no longer over at the age of 35. Chris Paul and LeBron James are two instances of how sports science is extending the professional lives of the league’s top players. A significant extension could be in Butler’s future if he can stay healthy and keep producing at his present rate.