Amazing draft fortune comes with heavy price tag Spurs must soon pay

The San Antonio Spurs face a positive challenge with multiple young talents requiring significant future contracts under the NBA's restrictive collective bargaining agreement (CBA). They anticipate signing De'Aaron Fox to a max extension this offseason and Victor Wembanyama to a supermax later, while also managing extensions for other prospects like Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, and Carter Bryant.

Contract staggering provides crucial financial relief: Wembanyama's max starts in two years, Castle's in three years, and Harper/Bryant's in four years. Immediate decisions involve Fox’s potential $229 million extension (possibly pre-agreed) and Jeremy Sochan’s pending deal. Optimally, a shorter Fox contract (e.g., 3-year max or 4-year with player option) would align better with future obligations. Sochan’s extension could become cost-effective if signed early.

A potential CBA revision by 2029-2030 offers hope. If restrictions on high-spending teams (first/second aprons) ease, the Spurs could retain their core more easily when Wembanyama enters his second contract and others approach peak salaries. Despite inevitable high costs, the phased payment schedule provides flexibility to maintain their young talent group.