What happened: The mutual option allows either the player or the team to trigger the final season, with no team-only decline. Brandin Podziemski's five-year, $110M extension and Payton Pritchard's two-year, $44.2M extension are both fully guaranteed.

Why it matters: The structure gives both sides a shared say on the final year instead of a player-only decision. Locked-in guarantees shape payroll planning into 2029-30 ahead of the 2026-27 season.

What to watch: Preseason will show how both guards fit in expanded roles. Final-year decisions come into focus as 2029-30 approaches.