Jazz Sign Keyonte George to Massive Extension After Breakout Season: Report

The Utah Jazz have reportedly reached a significant contract agreement with their star guard, Keyonte George, to keep him on the team for the foreseeable future. NBA insiders Shams Charania and Tim McMahon reported on Friday that George has agreed to a five-year, $157.5 million rookie-scale contract extension. This type of contract typically pays rookies based on their draft position, with guaranteed money for the initial years.

George was selected by the Jazz in the 16th pick of the 2023 NBA Draft. According to unnamed sources cited in ESPN's report, the 22-year-old's new contract extension will not include any team or player options. The extension represents around 16% of the Jazz's salary cap. George, who played two years of college basketball at Baylor, had an exceptional NBA season.

He averaged 23.6 points, 6.1 assists, and 3.7 rebounds, while shooting 45.6% from the field. His points, assists, and field-goal percentage were all career-best numbers. He also shot a career-high 37.5% from three. The Jazz made significant offseason moves, including landing the No. 2 draft pick and acquiring dynamic young star Darryn Peterson.

They also completed a sign-and-trade for Walker Kessler from the Los Angeles Lakers. Fans have had mixed reactions to the contract extension report, with many praising George as the team's top star. Despite the Jazz's poor 22-60 record this season, George's improvement in stats could potentially earn him an All-Star spot. The team, which already has 2023 All-Star Lauri Markkanen in the frontcourt, appears to have a talented roster for the future.

The NBA's training camps begin later this month, with the preseason starting on October 3 and the regular season on October 20. Utah's first regular-season game will be against the Memphis Grizzlies on October 21.