Thank you Clippers! Thank you George! A record-breaking $2.94 billion contract, the highest in NBA history, has been signed.

On January 14th, Beijing time, as the schedule progresses in depth, the rankings for several major awards in the regular season are gradually becoming clear. Thunder's star player Alexander has become one of the hottest superstars in the league with a record of 32 wins and 6 losses, ranking second in the league, and an average of 31 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block per game. He has also quietly replaced Curry as the best guard in the current NBA.

It is worth noting that as the undisputed super core of the Thunder, Alexander has averaged over 30 points for three consecutive seasons. Moreover, he makes visible progress every year, with his basketball skills becoming increasingly refined and his body muscles becoming more defined. This summer, he is about to unlock a milestone-like super feat.

According to American salary expert Marks, since Alexander's contract will expire in 2027 and he was selected for the best lineup in both 23 and 24, coupled with the fact that he is almost guaranteed to be selected for the first team this season, or even a double first-team superstar plus MVP, Alexander has automatically unlocked the qualification to sign a super-max contract. This summer, he can sign a super-max contract worth up to $294 m i l l i o n o v e r f o u r y e a r s . A c c o r d i n g t o t h e a n n u a l s a l a r y d i s t r i b u t i o n o f t h e c o n t r a c t, h i s s a l a r y i n t h e 2030 - 31 s e a s o n w i l l s u c c e s s f u l l y e x c e e d$ 294millionoverfouryears.Accordingtotheannualsalarydistributionofthecontract,hissalaryinthe2030−31seasonwillsuccessfullyexceed81.45 million, making him the first super star in NBA history to break the $80 million salary mark.

Although salary explosions in the league are now commonplace, the Celtics have even offered top contracts exceeding $300 m i l l i o n t o b o t h o f t h e i r y o u n g s t a r s . H o w e v e r, a n$ 300milliontobothoftheiryoungstars.However,an80 million annual salary is undoubtedly a milestone, which also reflects how high Alexander's value is at present. Moreover, the $294 m i l l i o n i s o n l y b a s e d o n A l e x a n d e r r e n e w i n g h i s c o n t r a c t e a r l y t h i s s u m m e r . I f h e c h o o s e s t o s i g n a r e n e w a l c o n t r a c t n e x t s u m m e r a n d t h e n s i g n s a f i v e - y e a r l o n g - t e r m c o n t r a c t a f t e r p l a y i n g a n o t h e r y e a r, t h e c o n t r a c t h e c o u l d r e c e i v e w o u l d l i k e l y a p p r o a c h t h e$ 294millionisonlybasedonAlexanderrenewinghiscontractearlythissummer.Ifhechoosestosignarenewalcontractnextsummerandthensignsafive−yearlong−termcontractafterplayinganotheryear,thecontracthecouldreceivewouldlikelyapproachthe400 million mark.

Watching Alexander grow step by step into a new face of the league, it is estimated that the Clippers' management is regretting their decision. Initially, they traded Alexander to get George to partner with Leonard, ignoring the advice of head coach Rivers. In just a few short years, Alexander has brought the Thunder to the top of the Western Conference. The Thunder should indeed thank the Clippers and George; without your generosity, the Thunder would not have gained a superstar like Alexander.

However, for the Thunder, although Alexander's rise is undoubtedly a good thing, the growth of the second-in-command Chet is also evident, not to mention the presence of the third-in-command Williams. The Thunder will have to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on these three giants in the future, plus the contracts of Hapeng and Caruso, etc. If they cannot win a championship in the short term, the Thunder may once again face the tragedy of dismantling their trio, as teams like the Celtics and Warriors cannot afford the luxury tax brought by the combination of giants, let alone a small-market team like the Thunder. It is estimated that in the future, what can defeat the Thunder besides injuries is probably just salaries.