On Sunday, the Dallas Mavericks and restricted free agent Kristaps Porzingis agreed to a historic five-year, $158.253 million maximum-salary contract that is fully guaranteed. The deal, which has an average annual value of $31.651 million, is the largest contract in the Mavericks’ 39-season history in three categories: total, season average, and single-season.
Porzingis, just 23, was acquired by the Mavericks from the Knicks on January 31 in a seven-player that also included several first-round picks. Porzingis has not appeared in an NBA game since sustaining an ACL tear in his left knee with New York on Feb. 6, 2018. With Porzingis on track to play opening night for Dallas, he could end a 20-month inactive streak if he’s on the floor when the next season kicks off.
At the time of the injury, Porzingis had been averaging 22.7 points and 6.6 rebounds per game and had been named to the Eastern Conference All-Star team.
Porzingis is scheduled to make $27.285 million this upcoming season, with annual raises of $2.1828 million in each of the ensuing four seasons of his deal, according to Brad Townsend of SportsDay, who writes that “he’ll make $29,467,800 in 2020-21; $31,650,600 in 2021-22; $33,833,400 in 2022-23; and $36,016,200 in 2023-24.”
