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Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Source: X)
Wednesday was a happy day for several NBA players, but a day of mixed emotions for a few general managers. The league has revealed its All-NBA teams for the 2023-24 season, an honour with significant salary cap consequences. Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic and Oklahoma City Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, both All-NBA players, are eligible for supermax contracts.
We have yet to witness the full consequences of the new collective bargaining agreement, but it has already had a significant influence by limiting the league's highest-spending teams. Phoenix Suns had few options for improving their supporting cast beyond Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal, and their lack of depth contributed to their first-round sweep by the Minnesota Timberwolves. The same applied to the Milwaukee Bucks.
General managers must be much more careful with how they handle the cap today, thus the difference between signing a star to a supermax deal against the usual max may be significant. Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander would have rather simple conditions. They received 25 per cent of the vote and came in second and third place, respectively, in the MVP competition. After three seasons, the Mavericks are back in the Western Conference Finals, but the Thunder secured the top seed in the Western Conference.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's All-NBA honour was well-deserved
Oklahoma City and Dallas will have no option but to table a supermax offer on their dynamic cornerstones. Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams are eligible for restricted free agency in 2026, while Gilgeous-Alexander and Luguentz Dort may do the same in 2027.
The question is if Gilgeous-Alexander and/or Luka Doncic will leave money on the table and if not, how their teams will develop their rosters in the future. Gilgeous-Alexander's All-NBA honour was well-deserved, and it represents the Thunder's bright future. However, his supermax eligibility will make Presti's life a bit more tough.