The Portland Trail Blazers have agreed to a contract extension with guard Shaedon Sharpe for 4 years and $90 million. After a summer that saw very few rookie extensions, this deal may set the standards for non-maximum extensions for guards in the 2022 draft class. Jaden Ivey is set to enter restricted free agency next summer and the Pistons will definitely use Sharpe's deal as a foundation for their negotiations.
Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe has agreed to a four-year, $90 million rookie contract extension with the franchise, agent Mike George of Klutch Sports tells ESPN. Sharpe and the Blazers lock in the long-term deal for the ascending scorer and playmaker. pic.twitter.com/aK2eqXCar8
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 19, 2025
Sharpe and Ivey are in similar positions
Like Ivey, Sharpe is also a promising young guard who has shown flashes of brilliance but still has a lot of questions surrounding his game. Both are shooting guards with incredible speed that have even shown stretches of brilliant shooting, but lack consistent efficiency.
For Ivey, the current questions about his game stem from his recent injury troubles. The timing of his season-ending injury last season could not have been worse, as the Pistons saw more success without him due to the emergence of Ausar Thompson from a previous injury of his own. Now, Ivey faces another injury that will keep him sidelined for the beginning of this season.
Sharpe, on the other hand, was quite healthy last season but faces scrutiny for his lack of efficiency. Unlike Ivey, Sharpe does not have the benefit of playing next to an All-NBA player like Cade Cunningham and he's been forced to create a lot more of his own looks. This led to percentages of 45% from the field and 31% from three last season as Sharpe increased his scoring to 18.5 points per game. Sharpe shot a promising 36% from three in his rookie season, but his efficiency has gone down as his volume has ramped up.
At his best, Sharpe can be an unstoppable slasher whose athleticism stands out even in the NBA. His combination of speed and especially verticality make him a deadly finisher and one of the league's most exciting dunkers. Last season, Sharpe put these attributes to good use and shot 69% at the rim, a great mark for a guard and much better than Ivey's pedestrian 57%.
Up to this point in their careers, Sharpe has shown more promise as a self-creator than Ivey. He consistently has higher rates of self-creation in the same areas of the court than Ivey, largely due to the lack of consistent supporting talent on the Blazers. But Ivey's efficiency from three-point range last season arguably makes up for the difference. Ivey shot a scorching 41% on threes, but sadly only had 30 games to showcase his shooting.
After a few years of tanking, the Blazers have signed some veterans this offseason to compete for a playoff berth again. With a stronger supporting cast, Shaedon Sharpe will be expected to deliver as a primary scoring option on a new contract. For Jaden Ivey, Sharpe's performance can be financially impactful. Right now, Ivey and Sharpe are considered similar players in different roles but this season will make all the difference. The Pistons are hoping to get Ivey on a deal similar to Sharpe's, and Ivey will have to prove himself if he wants anything more.