Opinion: Christmas is coming early for Victor Oladipo

Dec 18, 2020; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Victor Oladipo (4) shoots the ball over Philadelphia 76ers guard Seth Curry (31) in the third quarter at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 18, 2020; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Victor Oladipo (4) shoots the ball over Philadelphia 76ers guard Seth Curry (31) in the third quarter at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Indiana Pacers All-Star Victor Oladipo has a lot to smile about this holiday season.

There will be a lot of reasons for Victor Oladipo to be happy this holiday season. A new coach and a solid preseason start, including a 20-point game against the Sixers, has Oladipo looking more and more like the two-time All-Star that he is. However, it is what is happening around the league that probably has Victor Oladipo smiling even more.

This offseason, a massive amount of contract extensions have taken place, deflating what was supposed to be a massive free agency class at the end of the season. With talents such as Giannis Antetokumpo, Paul George, Kyle Kuzma, Rudy Gobert, and many more signing huge contract extensions, the basics of supply and demand just put Victor Oladipo in line for a big payday either with the Pacers or as a free agent.

While this news is akin to getting a new pair of skis for Christmas while living someplace where it never snows, this gift of a potentially huge payday is well worth the wait. If the saying, “winning is the best deodorant,” is true, then money must be the best shower. Something that must be appealing for a star that has made his financial goals public knowledge.

If Oladipo can put together a solid season, he’ll make a convincing case to the Pacers and other teams that he is deserving of getting a max contract. This comes as a sharp contrast to sentiment just six months ago when many worried about not just Oladipo’s future but the financial state of the NBA as a whole.

There appears to be huge financial potential in the NBA. With several teams positioning themselves to leap to contender status in the coming years. Victor Oladipo will be well-positioned to command a big contract with either the Pacers or another team.