Early NBA Free Agent Agreements

Michael Ginnitti
Michael Ginnitti, Managing Editor & NFL/MLB ExpertJuly 01, 2016
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DeMar DeRozan Returns to Toronto on a 5 year $140M deal
It appears DeRozan has agreed to a contract below the maximum, likely to allow the Raptors to structure his salaries in a way that helps them build more this offseason. Assuming they renounce all cap holds, the Raptors have just north of $26M in cap space to work with this week. The 26-year-old shooting guard has reeled in $40M over his first 7 seasons, where he's averaged 34 minutes, 18 points, 4 boards and 2 assists per game. He'll now be cashing in an estimated $28M per year.


Timofey Mozgov Heads to Lakers on a 4 year $64M deal
The Lakers appear poised to make Cavaliers benchwarmer Timofey Mozgov a big piece of their puzzle, agreeing to a $16M per year deal with the 29-year-old. Mozgov averaged 6 points and 4 boards across 17 minutes per game in the 2015 regular season, but saw less than 6 minutes per game in the Cavs championship postseason run. He's earned $27.3M thus far across 6 seasons with the Knicks, Nuggets, and Cavs.


Nicolas Batum stays with Charlotte for 5 years, $120M
It doesn't appear to be a max deal for the 27-year-old forward, but he'll raise his average annual salary from $11.5M to $24M across the next five years with the Hornets. Acquired from Portland last June, Batum posted 15 points, 6 boards, 6 assists, and a steal across 35 minutes per game for the Hornets in 2015-16. He'll add a lot of zeros to the $53M he's earned over his first 8 NBA seasons.


Jordan Clarkson re-joins the Lakers at 4 years, $50M 
After extending a $2.7M qualifying offer to Clarkson yesterday, the Lakers appear poisted to lock in their 24-year-old point guard for $12.5M per year through the 2019-20 season. That's Top-15 point guard money for a player who's averaging 14 points, 4 boards, and 3 assists across his first 2 NBA seasons where he's reeled in "just" $1.35M from the Lakers.


Wizards Max Out Bradley Beal at 5 years, $128M
There was some speculation the Wizards wouldn't pony up the max for restricted free agent Bradley Beal, but that appears to not be the case as the two sides have agreed in principle to a 5 year, $128M contract. Injuries held Beal to just 35 games started in 2015, but his 17 points, 4 boards, 3 assists and a steal per game have remained consistent through his first 4 NBA seasons. His new $25.6M average salary ranks Top 3 in the NBA (for now), and nearly $9M more than teammate John Wall. 


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