While free agency is often about player movement, several All-Stars are staying put before reaching the open market.
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic and Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker started off the day when both reportedly agreed to supermax extensions with their teams shortly after free agency opened Thursday evening.
Jokic, who was set to be a free agent next summer, reportedly signed a five-year, $270 million deal. He has a player option for the final season (2027-28), so he is tied to the Nuggets for at least the next five years as he finishes his current deal in 2022-23.
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Booker still had two years remaining on his contract, but he added a four-year, $224 million extension through 2027-28. There are no player options in Booker’s reported deal.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania first reported the news on Jokic and Booker.
After winning back-to-back MVP awards, Jokic’s new contract extension is the richest in NBA history. In seven seasons with the Nuggets, Jokic has averaged 19.7 points, 10.4 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game. He was a second-round pick, No. 41 overall, for Denver in 2014 before coming to the United States in 2015.
Booker was drafted one year after Jokic, at No. 10 overall by Phoenix in 2015. The Kentucky product has averaged over 20 points per game in six of his seven seasons with the Suns, making three All-Star teams.
Golden State Warriors
Hours later, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Ja Morant and Karl-Anthony Towns were joining the ranks of stars who were staying put.
Morant is believed to have signed a five-year, $193 million extension -- the maximum available on a rookie contract -- with the Memphis Grizzlies. The deal has the potential to increase to up to $231 million, according to Wojnaroski.
Meanwhile, Towns agreed to a four-year, $224 million supermax extension with the Timberwolves, set to begin in the 2024-25 season.
Beyond these four, several other star players are in line for massive contract extensions this summer. Zion Williamson, Khris Middleton, Damian Lillard, Fred VanVleet and Draymond Green are among the players who could re-up with their teams this summer before even reaching free agency.