Slam dunk for millions

Baynes could double pay on open market

MAREEBA’S Aron Baynes is set for a huge payday as his NBA salary could double next season.

The Far North junior just completed his second season with the Detroit Pistons, missing the post-season for the first time in his NBA career, after he spent his first three seasons with the San Antonio Spurs, winning the 2014 NBA championship.

The Australian centre can choose to exercise an option in his contract and become a free agent this off-season, which would see the offers come flying in for Baynes.

The big man currently makes $6.5 million annually with his current coach, Stan Van Gundy, anticipating Baynes could double that on the open market.

Baynes fell out of the rotation late in the Pistons season, not seeing any court time in the final four games of the campaign as the Pistons opted to use fellow reserve big man Boban Marjanovic.

Speaking to Detroit media before the final game of the NBA season, Baynes said he’d take his time with his decision.

“Being here, it kind of feels like we have some unfinished business from this and hopefully we use it as motivation for next year,” Baynes said before the Pistons loss to the Orlando Magic.

Van Gundy said last month he wanted to bring Baynes back to Detroit but understood there would be some attractive offers for the former Cairns Marlin. “I mean, we don’t want to lose him. I would love to be able to bring him back here, I really would,” Van Gundy said.

“But at the same time, we knew going into the summer that was going to be a possibility – and that’s why we went out and signed Boban a year in advance and we had money, because we anticipated it.

“I shouldn’t be saying anything to increase his value, but he’s a very good player and if he and his agents look around at what some of those guys got who were backups – (Bismack) Biyombo, (Ian) Mahinmi, guys like that – and what they signed contracts for, more than double what Aron’s making, it’s not too hard to figure out that the guy is probably going to opt out and take his chances in the open market.”