Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra wants the NBA season to begin early, while Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller has secured a five-year, $209 million contract extension. The two stories headline a busy period for the league as teams prepare for the 2026-27 season and make important decisions about their young players. Miller, 23, earned his deal after averaging 20.2 points per game last season. Meanwhile, Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski has also agreed to a long-term extension worth $110 million over five years. Elsewhere, several young players, including Scoot Henderson and Bilal Coulibaly, missed the chance to secure extensions before the deadline.
Erik Spoelstra Wants Miami Heat To Start The NBA Season Early
The Miami Heat completed a full-team practice ahead of their scheduled October 21 season opener against Minnesota. Seeing his players together gave Spoelstra a reason to joke about starting the season a day earlier.
“We’re going to petition the league this afternoon, I just talked to Andy. See if we can tip this off (Tuesday) night.”
According to Yahoo Sports, Spoelstra was referring to Heat executive Andy Elisburg. The coach also gave an update on Pelle Larsson and Dru Smith, who had been dealing with an illness and a right calf strain, respectively.
“They both practiced today. So they’re trending that way.”
Their participation offered some encouragement, although it did not confirm that either player would be available for the opener.
Brandon Miller’s $209 Million Extension Leads NBA Contract News
The Charlotte Hornets have agreed to a five-year, $209 million rookie-scale extension with Miller, the second overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. The team confirmed the agreement on October 19, ahead of the deadline for players from his draft class.
Miller averaged 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists across 65 games last season. He also shot 38.3% from three-point range, giving Charlotte a strong scoring option for the future. His previous injury problems remain a concern, but the Hornets have committed to building around his potential.
The Golden State Warriors have also secured Podziemski with a five-year, $110 million extension. He averaged 13.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists last season while playing all 82 games.
Meanwhile, Portland’s Henderson and Washington’s Coulibaly did not agree to extensions before the deadline. Henderson’s limited playing time following a hamstring injury made his progress harder to assess, while Coulibaly still needs to improve his offense.
The different outcomes show how teams are weighing immediate results against future potential. Miller and Podziemski have secured long-term deals, while Henderson and Coulibaly enter the season with more to prove before their next contracts.
Topics mentioned in this article