From Ben Simmons’ hefty $170M agreement to Bradley Beal’s $251M max deal, it’s easy to see how bad contracts can cripple an organization’s salary cap and dominate headlines.
But let’s flip the script. Cost effective contracts can be a game-changer, offering organizations the chance to secure All-Star caliber athletes at a discounted price, creating the foundation for a championship run.
We’ll explore the three best value contracts in the NBA today (excluding rookie deals with built-in salary scales), where savvy teams have snagged incredible talent at a bargain.
Honorable Mention:
Alex Caruso: Caruso’s $37M deal is a massive discount for a 3-and-D wing of his caliber, but with only one year remaining, its long-term benefit is limited.
Austin Reaves: the Lakers practically stole Reaves, who averaged 15.9 PPG, 5.5 APG and 4.3 RPG last season, all for a mere four years, $54M.
Mikal Bridges: At four years, $91M, Bridges’ deal offers excellent affordability. If we were ranking four players, he would undoubtedly make the cut.
3. Jaren Jackson Jr.
While scoring often steals the headlines, a championship run is virtually impossible without a dominant rim protector. In last season’s playoffs, all four conference finalists — the Celtics, Pacers, Mavericks and Timberwolves — boasted centers ranked among the league’s top shot blockers.
Rudy Gobert and Daniel Gafford averaged 2.1 blocks per game each, Myles Turner swatted 1.9 shots, and Kristaps Porzingis (although he missed too many games to officially qualify) also recorded an impressive 1.9 rejections per contest.
Jaren Jackson Jr., a 6-foot-11 force with a 7-foot-5 wingspan, is arguably the league’s premier rim protector. He earned the Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2022-23 with a remarkable 9.6 block percentage, the eighth-highest since rejections became an official stat in 1973. Jackson Jr. is the rare athlete who can swallow up quicker guards by the basket, disrupt pick-and-rolls single-handedly, and deliver weakside blocks from out of nowhere.
Overall, Jackson Jr.’s defense (and burgeoning offense) makes his four-year, $105M contract one of the top values in the association. His ability to anchor the paint at an elite level provides the Grizzlies with a franchise cornerstone at a fraction of the cost of other All-Star talents.
2. Kyrie Irving
Kyrie Irving’s three-year, $120M contract is currently tied with Tyler Herro’s as the 61st highest in the NBA. That’s exceptional value for a player who just put up All-Star caliber numbers in 2023-24, averaging 25.6 PPG, 5.2 APG and 5.0 RPG on 41.1% from three-point range and 49.7% overall.
Beyond his impressive regular season averages, Kyrie Irving delivered in the clutch, shooting a nearly unheard-of 60% from the field in 76 crunch-time minutes. His heroics were pivotal in Dallas’ 23-9 record in close contests.
While Luka Doncic undoubtedly contributed to the Mavs’ late-game success, Irving’s impact cannot be overstated. With Dallas finishing 2023-24 just four games ahead of the 9th and 10th-seeded Kings and Warriors, it’s highly possible that without Irving's high-leverage shot-making, the Mavs could have easily slipped into the play-in tournament, where anything can happen in a single-elimination contest.
Irving’s presence might have been the difference between Dallas missing the playoffs for a second consecutive year and making a Finals run.
1. Jalen Brunson
Could it be anyone else? Jalen Brunson’s recent four-year, $156M extension with the Knicks, running through 2028-29, is nothing short of highway robbery. By opting for this deal instead of waiting for a potential five-year, $260M max contract next offseason, Brunson left a huge pile of money on the table, allowing New York the financial flexibility to build a championship-caliber roster around him.
With Brunson, the Knicks don’t merely have an athlete willing to prioritize team success over maximizing his individual earnings. He’s a legitimate superstar who finished fifth in MVP voting last season, averaging 28.7 points per game and 6.7 assists while leading New York to the second seed in the Eastern Conference.
Brunson further solidified his top-tier status in the playoffs, elevating his averages to 32.4 points per contest and 7.5 assists, proving he thrives under the bright lights.
