Shai Gilgeous-Alexander contract: How 2025 MVP impacts ability to sign max extension

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander just earned himself a massive payday.

By winning the MVP award, the Oklahoma City guard can now sign a five-year $380 million supermax extension. While he won't be able to ink the contract until after next season, his accolade this year guarantees he can make bank in 2026.

The NBA's collective bargaining agreement makes SGA eligible for a four-year, $293 million supermax extension after this season, but now that he's been named the MVP, he can get an extra year and more money if he waits another year.

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Here's how winning the MVP award impacts Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's contract.

MORE: Why Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won 2025 NBA MVP

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander supermax contract

The NBA's current collective bargaining agreement allows certain players to sign supermax contract extensions when they become free agents. Gilgeous-Alexander is already eligible for one, but now that he's won the MVP, it makes more sense for him to wait until after next season.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander met the super max criteria (All-NBA in 2 out of 3 years) last offseason but was ineligible to sign because he was short of the years of service criteria.

He is eligible this offseason to sign a four-year $293M extension with OKC.

Because he won MVP (and…

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) May 21, 2025

The criteria for a player to sign a supermax extension are:

• 7-8 years of NBA service time without changing teams (except if the change occurred in his first four seasons in the league).
• Has one or two years left on his current contract
• Was named to an All-NBA or Defensive Player of the Year in the season prior or two of the three seasons prior.
• Was named MVP in one of the three seasons prior 

Gilgeous-Alexander has seven years of service time in the NBA — the first of which was spent with the Clippers — and he also two years left on his current contract with the Thunder. He was also named first-team All-NBA the past two seasons. He could have signed a supermax extension after this season.

However, because he won the MVP award, it makes more sense for him to wait until after the 2025-26 season when he'll have eight years of service time and one year left on his current deal. Gilgeous-Alexander will be able to guarantee himself an extra year and $87 million more, and he'll become the first NBA player to earn $80 million in a single season.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander career earnings

According to Spotrac, Gilgeous-Alexander has earned a total of $117,084,613 throughout his NBA career. He is currently on a five-year, $179 million rookie extension contract with the Thunder.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander stats

Gilgeous-Alexander has become the franchise cornerstone in Oklahoma City since being acquired in the Paul George trade. In his MVP campaign, he averaged a league-leading 32.7 points per game and broke the franchise record for 30-point games in a season (47), previously set by Kevin Durant. Here's a look at SGA's career stats.

Highest-paid players in NBA

If Gilgeous-Alexander signs a supermax extension, he would become the highest-paid player in NBA history. Here's a look at the top 10 highest paid players for 2024-25.

MORE: Who are the highest paid NBA players in 2024-25 season?