Why could Anthony Edwards earn $15,000,000 less in bonuses after making All-NBA? Understanding salary cap projection

Over the summer, Minnesota Timberwolves star wing Anthony Edwards signed a five-year, $204.45 million rookie contract extension. At the time, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported the deal could be worth up to $260 million with incentives. However, that projection has dropped substantially due to the NBA’s latest salary cap shift.

Edwards recently reached the league’s 65-games-played criteria for awards voting, making him eligible for All-NBA consideration. Per ESPN’s salary cap expert Bobby Marks, Edwards’ contract will increase to $245 million if he makes an All-NBA team this season.

Some noticed that Marks’ estimate for the two-time All-Star’s maximum salary was $15 million less than Wojnarowski’s. So, one fan on X/Twitter asked him what caused the steep decrease.

Marks noted that the salary cap is expected to “come in lower from what was projected last offseason.” He added that “rookie and supermax extensions are only a projection.”

In late January, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that the NBA’s 2024-25 salary cap is projected to be $141 million. That’s $5 million more than this year’s $136 million mark. However, it’s $1 million less than the $142 million projection from the offseason when Edwards signed his extension.

So, while the 22-year-old’s base salary remains unchanged, he will have to settle for a significantly smaller bonus if he ultimately qualifies.

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Anthony Edwards on track to earn contract bonus from first All-NBA nod

As for Anthony Edwards’ chances of making an All-NBA team and earning a contract bonus, he appears well on his way to doing so.

Edwards is the leading scorer on a Minnesota team that boasts the NBA’s fourth-best record (47-22) and No. 1 defensive rating (108.4).

Through 66 games, he is averaging 26.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.6 blocks and 2.5 3-pointers per game on 46.7% shooting.

Additionally, he has taken his production to the next level in co-star Karl-Anthony Towns’ absence. The four-time All-Star big man has been out since Mar. 4 after undergoing surgery to repair a left knee lateral meniscus tear.

Over that seven-game span, Edwards is averaging 31.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 5.4 apg, 1.7 spg, 1.4 bpg and 2.4 3pg on 48.1% shooting. Meanwhile, he has helped the Timberwolves stay afloat, leading them to a 4-3 record.

If Edwards can keep up his elite production over Minnesota’s final 13 games, he should at least make the All-NBA third team.

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