Skip to content

Gobert headlines extension talks ahead of Monday deadline

Russ Isabella / USA TODAY Sports

Several teams and their extension-eligible players are scrambling to try to get deals done just under the deadline.

Players in the final years of their rookie-scale contracts can sign extensions with their current teams before midnight on Monday, but will otherwise become restricted free agents at the end of the season. The Oklahoma City Thunder are reportedly in talks with two of their pending RFAs.

Other teams and players hoping to avoid that fate next summer, according to The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski, include: the Utah Jazz with center Rudy Gobert, the Minnesota Timberwolves with center Gorgui Dieng and forward Shabazz Muhammad, and the Charlotte Hornets with center Cody Zeller.

Wojnarowski reports that extensions are unlikely for Portland Trail Blazers center Mason Plumlee and Boston Celtics big man Kelly Olynyk.

The Thunder are reportedly discussing something in the range of a four-year, $100-million extension for Steven Adams and $80 million for Victor Oladipo, which should give some indication of where the market is at.

Of the other aforementioned extension candidates, Gobert figures to command the most lucrative extension. The 24-year-old Frenchman has established himself as one of the game's finest defensive bigs, and has finished third in the NBA in blocks per game the past two seasons. Through the first two games of the 2016-17 campaign, he's averaged 12.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, and three blocks.

Meanwhile, Wojnarowski reports that teams are particularly interested to see what happens with Zeller, since front-office people around the league "privately wonder" how high Hornets owner Michael Jordan will be willing to take his payroll, and thus may be inclined to be aggressive with RFA offer sheets next summer if Zeller isn't extended. He's coming off a career year in which he averaged 8.7 points and 6.2 rebounds, while shooting 52.9 percent from the field.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox