An example is in order. Shaquille O'Neal's contract was extended prior to the 2000-01 season. His original contract ran through the 2002-03 season, in which he made $23,571,429.20. The first year of his extension, 2003-04, was originally written for (the then-maximum) 112.5% of this amount, or $26,517,857.85. As a 10+ year veteran, O'Neal's salary couldn't exceed 105% of $23,571,429.20, or the 2003-04 maximum salary for a 10+ year veteran (which turned out to be $15,344,000), whichever is greater. That means O'Neal's 2003-04 salary could not exceed $24,750,000.66 (using 105% of his previous salary, since that was the greater of the two). O'Neal's extension was therefore amended downward to the maximum ($24,750,000.66) once the 2003-04 maximum salary was determined.
Raises in each year of an extension to a rookie scale contract are limited to 10.5% of the salary in the first year of the extension. For all other extensions, raises are limited to 10.5% of the salary in the last year of the existing contract. If the salary in the first year of an extension is amended as described above, then all subsequent years of the extension are also amended to accommodate the maximum raise, if necessary.