Victor Wembanyama made waves recently when he agreed to a 5-year, $252 million extension, but it's not the money that Wembanyama made that stands out so much, but rather the money that he left on the table. 

According to a report from EPSN's Shams Charania, the San Antonio Spurs offered Wembanyama a 30% supermax contract escalator that would have been worth roughly $303 million, but the choice that Wembanyama made not only keeps him in San Antonio and keeps him well paid, it also gives the Spurs extra money to work with that could bolster their roster even further. 

It's a significant move and while it's somewhat mind-boggling to consider an over $50 million annual average value a team friendly contract, it does standout that Wembanyama chose to help the Spurs save money that could be invested to greater team success in the long run.

Taking a team-friendly contract isn't new, but a star of Wembanyama's caliber and potential taking one could be evidence of a trend emerging, not a trend the Spurs center started. He could have taken inspiration from the NBA star that just bested him in the NBA Finals for his more affordable deal. 

Jalen Brunson is the most notable example of star taking a pay cut in recent NBA memory. The New York Knicks point guard had an opportunity to make massive money just a year ago, but he decided to forgo a huge contract by signing a year earlier instead and in the process saved the Knicks $113 million that was later invested in building the Knicks a championship squad. 

Brunson agreed to four-year, $156.5 million contract extension in July 2024, which was the maximum contract he could have signed at the time. Where he saved the Knicks money comes in with the fact that Brunson could have waited just one more year to agree to an extension in 2025, where he would have been eligible for a five-year, $269.1 million contract.

Of course, there is more nuance to this move than there is to Wembanyama's flat-out denial of a larger contract in favor of a smaller one. 

Denying to wait another season for a contract allowed Brunson to avoid the risk of gambling on himself in an extension year and potentially injuring himself in the process, which would have tanked his negotiating power for an extension. 

Taking a deal a year earlier gave him assurance and it also elevated his legacy by adding the idea of him taking a pay cut to the perception of him. 

Brunson may also be able to make that money back up when he's eligible for a new extension in 2028 or 2029, but the fact still remains that Brunson did make a conscious decision to leave money on the table, albeit by avoiding some risk, and those extra finances did translate into a championship two years later. 

Wembanyama may be the latest example, but it's hard to deny the impact that Brunson has had when it comes to the deals that stars take and that influence could continue to spread in the wake of the Knicks' championship.