Victor Wembanyama just signed the richest rookie extension in NBA history. Five years, $252 million. And Kendrick Perkins thinks that’s a problem. Seriously.
The former NBA center turned ESPN analyst didn’t hold back when Wemby’s deal with the San Antonio Spurs became official. While most of the basketball world applauded the 22-year-old for taking a team-friendly contract, Perkins sees it differently. He called it a bad decision and a dangerous precedent for the Spurs’ locker room.
Why Perkins thinks Wemby left money on the table
Wembanyama took a 25% salary cap share instead of waiting for the 30% supermax he would likely qualify for next season. That difference? Roughly $50 million over five years. Perkins argued on ESPN that young stars should never take a discount, especially one who sells jerseys, puts butts in seats, and made San Antonio relevant again.
“That’s not how it works,” Perkins said. “I have never gave advice to young players to say, ‘Hey, leave a dime on the table.’ No, you need to max out, especially a guy like Wemby, a guy that is selling jerseys, a guy that is putting b***s in seats, a guy that has taken San Antonio back to being relevant again.”
Perkins went further, questioning what message this sends to teammates like Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper. When it’s their turn to negotiate, will the Spurs expect them to give up money too?
The other side of the argument
Here’s the thing though. Wembanyama’s decision saves the Spurs roughly $10 million in cap space annually. That’s real flexibility for a team that just established itself as a Western Conference contender. And let’s not pretend Wemby got fleeced here. $252 million is still $252 million.
He’s coming off a third season where he won Defensive Player of the Year and averaged 25 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3.1 blocks. To qualify for that 30% max, he needed to make an All-NBA team, win MVP, or win DPOY again — all while hitting the 65-game threshold. Not exactly a guarantee.
The Spurs haven’t commented on Perkins’ take, but the logic behind Wemby’s move is pretty clear. He wanted to give the front office room to build. He wanted to win. And taking a bit less now might be the fastest path to multiple rings.
Whether that’s worth $50 million is a question only Wembanyana can answer. But if he ends up with a few Larry O’Brien trophies, nobody’s going to remember the discount. They’ll remember the banners.
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