Rising Mitchell earns max deal
Donovan Mitchell got the life-changing news Sunday and immediately began celebrating. He ripped off his T-shirt, ran out of the house and leaped into the pool.
And just as he did in his first three seasons with Utah, he made a huge splash.
Mitchell is now a max-contract recipient, he and the Jazz agreeing Sunday on a five-year extension that guarantees him $163 million — the new paydays start kicking in with the 2021-22 season — and could be worth $196 million if he reaches the All-NBA level.
“A dream does not become reality through magic it takes sweat, determination and hard work,” Mitchell wrote on Instagram.
Mitchell averaged 20.5 points as a rookie, then 23.8 points in his second season and 24.0 points last season as a third-year player who wound up making the All-Star team for the first time. And even though the Jazz lost in first round of the playoffs in a sevengame epic against Denver, he averaged 36.3 points in that series.
A breakdown of Sunday’s moves:
• A day after frontcourt staples Montrezl Harrell and JaMychal Green departed in free agency, the Los Angeles Clippers reached an agreement with Serge Ibaka on a two-year contract worth $19 million, a person with knowledge of the deal confirmed.
• Bryn Forbes, the formerly undrafted shooting guard who went on to become an unexpected fixture in the Spurs’ rotation, is headed to Milwaukee. Forbes agreed to a two-year deal to join the Bucks, after starting 143 games in his final two Spurs seasons.
• The Knicks have agreed to terms with free agent guard Austin Rivers for three years, $10 million according to ESPN, with only the first year guaranteed. Rivers, 28, has averaged nine points per game in a journeyman career, most recently a season and a half with the Rockets.
• Willie Cauley-Stein is returning to the Mavericks on an $8.2 million, twoyear contract. The 27-yearold Cauley-Stein averaged 5.2 points and 4.6 rebounds in 13 games.
• Looking to replace Tristan Thompson, the Cavaliers have acquired center JaVale McGee and a future draft pick from the Lakers for forwards Alfonzo McKinnie and Jordan Bell. The Cavs will get a second-round pick in 2026 from the Lakers
• The Warriors are signing shooting guard Kent Bazemore to a one-year deal, using a veteran minimum contract valued at $2.32 million.
• The Pacers completed the re-signing of Justin Holiday to a three-year, $18 million deal. Holiday was the only Indiana player to appear in all 73 regularseason games a year ago, averaging 8.3 points.
• Marc Gasol agreed to a two-year contract with the Lakers. ESPN first reported the agreement. The 35year-old center was drafted by the Lakers in 2007 but never played for the team.
• The Portland Trail Blazers announced they have re-signed 10-time All-Star Carmelo Anthony and forward Rodney Hood, and signed free-agent forward Derrick Jones Jr. Anthony, a 17-year NBA veteran, averaged 15.4 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 58 games with the Blazers this season.
• Veteran center Bismack Biyombo will sign a oneyear deal with Charlotte.