Shaedon Sharpe is one of several players on the Portland Trail Blazers who are eligible to sign an extension this offseason. There have been ongoing debates amongst the fan base about whether he's worthy of an extension, and, if so, how much. The prevailing belief is that the Trail Blazers should let Sharpe enter restricted free agency next summer, a decision they could ultimately regret.
Sharpe won't come close to making the kind of money other players in the 2022 NBA Draft class have with their new deals, which is a good and bad thing for Portland. It's good because the Trail Blazers can save money in the harsh CBA world, but bad because signing a hefty extension would mean Portland had its star of the future.
Out of the young players on the roster, Sharpe has the most potential to be a star (the Yang Hansen hype is fun, though. Even after watching him for three seasons (technically two-and-a-half after his 2023-24 injury), it's still hard to gauge what kind of player he'll be. His NBA journey thus far has been a roller coaster experience.
Shaedon Sharpe has the potential to be a star for the Trail Blazers
If the Trail Blazers don't sign him to an extension before the end of October, it doesn't mean the upcoming season will be his last in Portland, but the restricted free agency market next summer will be more lively than it's been the past couple of months, as more teams will have cap space to submit offer sheets.
Right now, Sharpe's annual value is projected to be somewhere in the $15-20 million range, but the Trail Blazers might not want to commit even that kind of money across several years to the young guard without having a better idea of who he can be. It's a decision that could motivate Sharpe as he enters his fourth season.
He was benched in the second half of last season because of his poor defense, forcing him to take accountability. It worked.
With Anfernee Simons gone, and the Blazers still molding their core together, Sharpe could be due for a breakout season. Averaging 20+ points per game isn't a tough ask. Staying engaged on the defensive end isn't a tough ask, either.
A new deal might not come for Sharpe in the next few weeks, but he could command more money from the Trail Blazers (or other interested teams) next summer.