What happened: Kristaps Porzingis' new two-year, $40 million extension guarantees only $3 million of the second season, per sources. The deal is structured with no more than a 5 percent raise between the first and second years, which makes Porzingis immediately trade eligible. He had reached agreement to stay on a two-year, $40 million deal days earlier.

Why it matters: The low year-two guarantee and the flat raise are the mechanisms that keep Porzingis available as a trade asset from the moment the ink dries. A partially guaranteed second year gives cost flexibility and lowers the risk on an injury-prone big, while trade eligibility means the front office can pivot the deal into a larger move without a waiting period. It reshapes how the roster can be reconfigured heading into the 2026-27 season.

What to watch: Watch whether the deal is used as matching salary in a trade or held as depth, and how the second-year guarantee date is set.