The NBA s super maximum salary was born, the runner-up center changed hands, the 75 superstar was tragically cut, Jokic replaced his younger brother

On July 2, 2025, the NBA free market has entered its second day, and the total amount of transactions and contracts has risen steadily, reaching US$2.05 billion. With Harris joining the Bucks on a two-year contract, fans can't help but wonder whether his form can return to the peak of his Nuggets' period? After Connaughton exchanged with Misic, can Misic joining truly enhance the overall strength of the team? Xiao Hei joined the King with a 3-year contract of 45 million, and we are also paying attention to whether he can lead the King to shine on the field. In addition, the news that center Nance will sign with the Cavaliers has broken Lakers fans. In addition, what other major transactions and contract renewals in the league are there? Let’s take a look together!

NBA's super maximum salary was born

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According to Shams, Alexander and the Thunder reached a remarkable super maximum salary early contract renewal agreement. The contract was 4 years, with a total amount of up to US$285 million. The average salary of this contract is US$71.25 million, which makes him the highest annual salary in NBA history. There are two years left in the existing contract, at $38.33 million (2025-26 season) and $40.8 million (2026-27 season), respectively, which means that this early renewal agreement will continue his cooperation with the Thunder until the 2030-31 season, and the Thunder will also lock in the core players in the next few years.

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In the just-concluded 2024-25 season, Alexander played in 76 regular season games, averaging 32.7 points, 5 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.7 steals and 1 block per game. In the playoffs, he averaged 29.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.7 steals per game, successfully winning the regular season MVP and the finals MVP. There is no doubt that he has become one of the top players in the NBA. Looking back, Alexander's progress is obvious. The Thunder's heavy contract renewal is not only a compliment to Yali's performance in the past few seasons, but also a high degree of trust in him in the next few years.

runner-up center change

famous reporter Shams reported that 2024-2025 Eastern Conference champion NBA total runner-up Pacers center Miles Turner left the team and reached a four-year contract with the Bucks worth $107 million, including player options and 15% trading margin.

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29-year-old Turner was the 15th pick in the first round of 2015. He has played for the Pacers for the past 10 years and has made a lot of contributions when the team reached the finals this year. During this period, he was also elected as the league blocking king twice. Turner averaged 14.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.7 steals and 2.2 blocks per game in the Pacers' 642 regular season games; and in the playoffs, he also performed stably, averaging 13.8 points, 6 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.5 steals and 1.9 blocks per game.

As the competition in the Eastern Conference becomes stronger, especially when Lillard is reimbursed for the season, the Bucks management has realized that relying on Antetokounmpo's solo fight alone is far from enough. Turner's introduction not only fills the gap in the inside and provides efficient support for Antetokounmpo's offense, but also allows the team to have more inside dominance on the road to winning the championship and enhances the team's overall performance.

75 superstar was ruthlessly slashed, reporter Shams reported that the Bucks decided to slash the team's center Lillard through an innovative way and used extended terms to share his remaining $113 million in salary for the next five seasons.

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In the 2024-25 season, Lillard played 58 regular season games, averaging 36.1 minutes per game, contributing 24.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 7.1 assists and 1.2 steals. This year, he experienced deep vein thrombosis in the calf and torn left Achilles tendon, resulting in early reimbursement of the season.

Lillard's original contract has two seasons left, with salary of $54.13 million and $58.46 million respectively.

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Lillard's injury in the 2024-25 season was undoubtedly the biggest failure of the Bucks to stop in the first round. As one of the core of the team, his return date after the season is reimbursed is far away, and subsequent injuries are even more of a hidden danger that cannot be ignored. It is better to have short pain than long pain. As the Bucks management, it is understandable to make this decision. After all, the team is like a battlefield, not a nursing home. From another perspective, this strategy not only reduces the current financial pressure, but also increases flexibility for the subsequent signings. According to the report of Jokic for younger brother

Shams, the Nuggets reached a deal with the King, and the King sent center Varan to the Nuggets in exchange for Saric. This deal can be seen as an attempt by both teams to fill the gaps in their respective lineups.

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Last season, Valan started 9 of the 32 games in the second half of the season, averaging 8.7 points and 7 rebounds per game.

Saric played 16 games for the Nuggets last season, and averaged 3.5 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.

Varan's introduction has improved the Nuggets' depth in the inside, especially offense and inside defense. On the other hand, you can share the ball rights for Jokic and reduce overdrafts, but whether you can improve your overall strength depends on the players' adaptability and performance in the new team.

Each transaction is not only a simple check on the lineup, but also a reflection of the careful layout of future goals. For fans, every exciting moment of the season and the performance of each player are the most passionate topic after dinner. The NBA free market has just begun, and there will be more exciting transactions in the future, which are exciting and worthy of our expectations. Good shows will come later.