At the opening of free agency, the Grizzlies proposed an extension to the max I Morant. Logic after the explosion of the latter this season. Other members of the 2019 tank were eligible for this type of contract and the Cavaliers did not hesitate by also offering a maximum deal of 193 million over 5 years. Darius Garland. This is now the largest contract signed by a Cavs player! Steady progress since his draft, Garland earned his first All Star star in February with record stats in every sector: 21.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 8.6 assists. The franchise clearly gives him the keys to the truck over the long term to confirm Cleveland’s good regular season. It should be noted that the extension of Garland will begin in 2023-2024, which corresponds to the end of the contracts of Kevin Love (29 million) and Caris LeVert (19 million). The Cavs will therefore always have financial flexibility for the next free agency.
In New Orleans, the front office also offered a max contract Zion Williamson. The former Duke will receive 193 million over 5 years, or 25% of the salary cap. A deal that can go up to 231 million if Zion grabs a place in the All-NBA Teams next season. He will then be able to receive 30% of the salary cap. After a white season and an injury prone profile, the Pelicans judged that the First Pick 2019 deserved the max. His contract still includes special clauses which were the main sticking point in the negotiations. In the event of a major physical problem, the deal will not be 100% guaranteed. A way to reduce the collective risks for NOLA and offer the player a financial carrot to motivate him to keep the line.