Utah Jazz is Donovan Mitchell’s team now, and the franchise made sure he knows it by giving him a max-rookie extension over the weekend.
Mitchell’s agents Ty Sullivan and Austin Brown confirmed to ESPN that their client agreed to a five-year deal contract with Utah that will earn him up to $195 million. The 24-year-old All-Star will get $163 million in base salary, but there is a “30% escalator clause” in his deal that kicks in if he makes the All-NBA team in the future.
Reportedly, Mitchell also received an opt-out after the fourth year of the extension.
Mitchell, who was Jazz’s 13th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, is the third player from his class to get a max-rookie extension. Previously, De’Aaron Fox of Sacramento Kings and Jayson Tatum of Boston Celtics agreed to max extensions with their respective franchises.
Since entering the NBA, Donovan Mitchell emerged as one of the best young players in the league. He improved in each of his seasons as a pro, increasing his averages all across the board while also stepping up in the playoffs.
Mitchell’s performances were especially memorable in the past postseason when he averaged an impressive 36.3 points per game in the seven-game series against Denver Nuggets. This included a pair of games in which he had 50+ points, making him the only player aside from Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson to accomplish the feat in a single playoff series.
Aside from signing Mitchell to an extension, Jazz made several other moves this offseason that secures them contention in the loaded West. This includes bringing back forward Derrick Favors as well as locking important bench piece Jordan Clarkson to a new deal.
