A big salary probably awaits a pair of Gonzaga Men’s Basketball stands out as the deadline for 2021 rookies to sign their second NBA contracts sits just under seven weeks before the start of the 2024-25 season.

Jalen Suggs and Corey Kispert, two mainstays of the Bulldogs’ 2020-21 team before being drafted fifth and 15th overall by the Orlando Magic and Washington Wizards, respectively, have yet to sign contracts as they enter the final year of their respective rookie contracts. Both are expected to sign lucrative extensions at some point, though the amount remains a question.

Suggs appears poised to make a home in Orlando in the near future, as the 2.05-meter point guard was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team and shot 39.7 percent from three-point range in his third season as a pro. With Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner signing rookie extensions this offseason, the Magic will likely make Suggs a part of the team’s long-term plans.

According to Eric Pinus of Bleacher ReportSuggs’ second contract could pay him $25 million per year. That prediction is based in part on Orlando’s generosity toward Wagner and Suggs’ ability to have a defensive impact similar to Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels, who signed a five-year, $136 million contract extension last season. Suggs could be worth as much as $30 million per year, according to NBA Insider Evan Siderywhile Spotrac.com he expects to earn slightly less than that amount per year under a four-year, $112 million contract.

Regardless, Suggs will be well-established in Orlando for years to come once he signs his extension. As for Kispert, his future in the nation’s capital isn’t as clear.

The Wizards, who finished 15-67 last season, made a management change when Michael Winger took over as president in May 2023. As such, players signed under the previous regime can’t be considered untouchable, especially given the franchise’s struggles since the Bradley Beal trade. For example, Washington traded Deni Avdija to the Portland Trail Blazers this offseason after signing him to a team-friendly extension last year.

Kispert has made strides despite the team’s lack of success, as he’s scoring 13.4 points per game and shooting 38.3 percent on three-point attempts (6.0 per game). He’s making 78.0 percent of his field goal attempts and converting 52.5 percent of his field goal attempts from 3-10 feet, according to Basketball Reference. The 6-foot-10 sharpshooter’s ability to hit three-pointers and his basketball IQ at age 25 are reasons to believe he’ll be a productive rotation player in the NBA, and as such, he should be compensated accordingly.

According to Pinus, it is “not unreasonable to predict” that the Wizards would trade Kispert to another team after signing him to a “trade friendly extension” before the Oct. 21 deadline. Bleacher Report’s prediction for Kispert in March was that he would sign a three- or four-year deal worth around $11 million to $13 million per year.

Trade rumors surrounding Kispert gained momentum during the 2024 NBA Draft in June, when NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that Washington had him on the trade list and had received phone calls from other teams about a trade. Days earlier, the team had traded Avdija to Portland for the 14th overall pick so it could take 6-foot-4 point guard Carlton Carrington of Pitt. He was one of three first-round picks by the Wizards, who also took Alex Sarr of France at No. 2 and Kyshawn George of Miami at No. 24.

The weeks leading up to training camp and the start of the season will be interesting to watch for both former Bulldogs.

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