Shai Gilgeous-Alexander plans to behave as his personal agent going ahead. That is excellent news for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Chris Haynes reported that the Thunder star is leaving his previous administration in favor of representing himself in contract negotiations. It is an uncommon transfer for an NBA celebrity, however one which is smart given Gilgeous-Alexander’s scenario.
This summer time, SGA can signal a four-year extension to his present five-year contract, which runs via the 2026-27 season. It will be price $294.3M, giving him $373.4M over the following six seasons. If he is prepared to commit long-term, it’s extremely seemingly that the Thunder can be blissful to lock their MVP candidate via his age-32 season.
If his group is providing Gilgeous-Alexander the utmost permissible wage, there’s not way more than an agent can get him. Gamers want brokers when their future is unsure, whether or not it is coming into free company or attempting to rearrange a commerce. That is one purpose Joel Embiid hasn’t had an agent since leaving Creative Arts Agency in 2021.
Embiid misplaced his previous agent, Leon Rose, when Rose grew to become president of the New York Knicks. However with Embiid staying with the Philadelphia 76ers, he saved a substantial amount of cash on agent commissions when he signed supermax
extensions in 2021 and 2024.
One different former 76er seemingly regretted going with out an agent. James Harden did not have an agent for six years, earlier than hiring one in February 2023. That was lower than a yr after Harden signed a below-market deal with the Sixers, which he thought would result in a long-term extension. That by no means got here, and Harden finally compelled a commerce to the Los Angeles Clippers after a protracted standoff with Philadelphia.
That is a scenario the place an agent is invaluable. However Gilgeous-Alexander dismissing his reps is a good signal that he isn’t planning to play wherever however Oklahoma Metropolis within the subsequent half-decade.
