Supermax (Designated Veteran extension)

The supermax, officially the Designated Veteran extension, lets a team pay a star with seven to nine years in the league the top 35% slice of the cap, the share normally reserved for ten-year veterans. It is the league's reward for keeping a homegrown superstar.

The bar is high on purpose: the player has to hit big honors like an All-NBA team, Defensive Player of the Year, or MVP, and only the team that drafted or traded for him early can offer it. Leave for another team and the supermax goes away.