Latest news with #maxextension
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Luka Dončić agrees to 3-year, $165 million max extension with Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers view Luka Dončić as the future of the franchise. The team inked the 26-year-old to a three-year, $165 million max extension Saturday. Per ESPN's Shams Charania, Dončić's deal features a player option in 2028, and he is now eligible for a projected five years and $417 million in 2028. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] The move doesn't come as a major surprise. Since he debuted with the Dallas Mavericks during the 2018-19 NBA season, Dončić has performed like one of the best players in the NBA. He won the Rookie of the Year Award that season, is a five-time All-Star and has five MVP finishes in the top eight. It was always expected the Lakers would sign Dončić to a long-term deal after the team traded Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a first-round pick to Dallas in February in exchange for Dončić. You don't acquire a player of Dončić's caliber and allow him to walk after just a year and a half. Prior to the extension, Dončić was set to enter what could have been the final year of his contract. He held a $48 million player option for the 2026-27 NBA season that he almost certainly would have declined in favor of receiving a massive deal on the free-agent market. The Lakers were never going to let Dončić get to that point, which is why a max extension was always assumed. The bigger question surrounding Dončić's next contract was its length. With Dončić signed, the Lakers now have their future secured. Dončić melded with the team well after being acquired in February. In 28 games in Los Angeles, Dončić averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists, essentially the same numbers he averaged with the Mavericks. Following the Lakers' postseason elimination, head coach JJ Redick challenged the team to get in "championship shape," which many perceived as a challenge aimed at Dončić, whose conditioning has been questioned during his career. By all accounts, Dončić heard that message. He's reportedly dropped "significant weight" ahead of the 2025-26 NBA season. With LeBron James back, and Dončić possibly in the best shape of his career, the Lakers will enter the year with championship aspirations. While James' future with the franchise remains a question — he's 40 and only under contract for one more season — Dončić is talented enough to make the team a perennial contender after James leaves or retires. That was always the plan when the team pulled off its shocking trade for Dončić in February. Following Saturday's extension, it's now the team's reality.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Luka Dončić agrees to 3-year, $165M max extension with Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers view Luka Dončić as the future of the franchise. The team inked the 26-year-old to a three-year, $165 million max extension Saturday. Per ESPN's Shams Charania, Dončić's deal features a player option in 2028, and he is now eligible for a projected five years and $417 million in 2028. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] The move doesn't come as a major surprise. Since he debuted with the Dallas Mavericks during the 2018-19 NBA season, Dončić has performed like one of the best players in the NBA. He won the Rookie of the Year Award that season, is a five-time All-Star and has five MVP finishes in the top eight. It was always expected the Lakers would sign Dončić to a long-term deal after the team traded Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a first-round pick to Dallas in February in exchange for Dončić. You don't acquire a player of Dončić's caliber and allow him to walk after just a year and a half. Prior to the extension, Dončić was set to enter what could have been the final year of his contract. He held a $48 million player option for the 2026-27 NBA season that he almost certainly would have declined in favor of receiving a massive deal on the free-agent market. The Lakers were never going to let Dončić get to that point, which is why a max extension was always assumed. The bigger question surrounding Dončić's next contract was its length. With Dončić signed, the Lakers now have their future secured. Dončić melded with the team well after being acquired in February. In 28 games in Los Angeles, Dončić averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists, essentially the same numbers he averaged with the Mavericks. Following the Lakers' postseason elimination, head coach JJ Redick challenged the team to get in "championship shape," which many perceived as a challenge aimed at Dončić, whose conditioning has been questioned during his career. By all accounts, Dončić heard that message. He's reportedly dropped "significant weight" ahead of the 2025-26 NBA season. With LeBron James back, and Dončić possibly in the best shape of his career, the Lakers will enter the year with championship aspirations. While James' future with the franchise remains a question — he's 40 and only under contract for one more season — Dončić is talented enough to make the team a perennial contender after James leaves or retires. That was always the plan when the team pulled off its shocking trade for Dončić in February. Following Saturday's extension, it's now the team's reality.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Grizzlies star Jaren Jackson Jr. suffers turf toe injury, needs procedure after inking new $240 million max deal
Memphis Grizzlies star Jaren Jackson Jr. went down with a turf toe injury that needs a procedure to repair on Monday, the same day that he inked a new max extension with the franchise. The Grizzlies announced on Tuesday night that Jackson 'sustained a turf toe injury in his right foot' while he was participating in a basketball run away from the team facility. Further specifics on the injury aren't known, but he'll undergo a procedure to repair it. Advertisement There is not yet a timeline for his return, but he's expected to make a full recovery. He has several months before the start of the 2025-26 campaign, so there is plenty of time for him to get back. The news came about 24 hours after the Grizzlies struck a new five-year, $240 million max extension with Jackson at the start of the free agency period. Jackson's new deal comes with a player option during the 2029-30 campaign, and will pay him about $48 million a year. Jackson has spent his entire career with the Grizzlies. He averaged 22.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game last season while earning his second All-Star nod. He was set to enter the final year of a four-year deal with the Grizzlies this fall, which would have made him a free agent next summer. Now, though, he's under contract through the end of the decade. Advertisement The move was one of several that the Grizzlies made on Monday. They also inked three-year deals with Santi Aldama and former Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome. The Grizzlies went 48-34 last season and made the playoffs through the play-in tournament after splitting with longtime coach Taylor Jenkins, but they fell in the first round. They have since promoted Tuomas Lisalo from his interim post to replace Jenkins. While Jackson's injury sounds minor and there is ample time for him to recover, the timing just a day removed from receiving a max contract certainly isn't great.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Grizzlies star Jaren Jackson Jr. sustains turf toe injury, needs procedure after inking new $240 million max deal
Memphis Grizzlies star Jaren Jackson Jr. went down with a turf toe injury that needs a procedure to repair on Monday, the same day that he inked a new max extension with the franchise. The Grizzlies announced on Tuesday night that Jackson 'sustained a turf toe injury in his right foot' while he was participating in a basketball run away from the team facility. Further specifics on the injury aren't known, but he'll undergo a procedure to repair it. Advertisement There is not yet a timeline for his return, but he's expected to make a full recovery. He has several months before the start of the 2025-26 campaign, so there is plenty of time for him to get back. The news came about 24 hours after the Grizzlies struck a new five-year, $240 million max extension with Jackson at the start of the free agency period. Jackson's new deal comes with a player option during the 2029-30 campaign, and will pay him about $48 million a year. Jackson has spent his entire career with the Grizzlies. He averaged 22.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game last season while earning his second All-Star nod. He was set to enter the final year of a four-year deal with the Grizzlies this fall, which would have made him a free agent next summer. Now, though, he's under contract through the end of the decade. Advertisement The move was one of several that the Grizzlies made on Monday. They also inked three-year deals with Santi Aldama and former Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome . The Grizzlies went 48-34 last season and made the playoffs through the play-in tournament after splitting with longtime coach Taylor Jenkins, but they fell in the first round. They have since promoted Tuomas Lisalo from his interim post to replace Jenkins. While Jackson's injury sounds minor and there is ample time for him to recover, the timing just a day removed from receiving a max contract certainly isn't great.
