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Jazz Sign Keyonte George to $157.5M Extension
Confirmed
In Short: The Utah Jazz have locked up star guard Keyonte George with a five-year, $157.5 million contract extension.
According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Keyonte George has agreed to a five-year, $157.5 million rookie-scale contract extension with the Utah Jazz.
The deal includes $2.5 million in bonuses, with $500,000 available each season, and will go into effect in 2027/28 after George earns $6.56 million in the final year of his rookie scale contract in 2026/27.
Chosen as the 16th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, George delivered a breakout season in 2025-26, averaging 23.6 points, 6.1 assists, and 3.7 rebounds in 33.1 minutes per game over 54 outings.
George's contract extension is for the maximum of five years, similar to players like Immanuel Quickley, Jordan Poole, Derrick White, Jalen Suggs, and Tyler Herro, who have shown flashes of stardom or are fringe All-Stars.
The Jazz's long-term commitment to George signals their belief in his ability to continue improving defensively and fit well alongside this year’s No. 16 draft pick, Darryn Peterson, in the backcourt.
What's confirmed
- According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Keyonte George has agreed to a five-year, $157.5 million rookie-scale contract extension with the franchise.
- “Keyonte’s leadership, growth, and commitment to what we’re building make him an integral part of this franchise’s future,” Austin Ainge, Jazz president of basketball operations, said in a statement.
What's still developing
- The deal does not include team or player options, and will account for 16% of the Jazz’s salary cap for the 2026-2027 NBA season.
- George was selected 16th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft and is a member of the same draft class as Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson, who is also extension-eligible this offseason.
- George has posted marked statistical improvements year-over-year, averaging 22.3 points while shooting 45% from the field and 37% from beyond the 3-point arc in his most recent campaign.
- George could have become a restricted free agent next summer like Kessler did this summer, meaning he could have signed a contract offer sheet with another team and the Jazz would have had to decide if they wanted to match it or not.
- Some other notes on how this happened differently from the Kessler situation: George’s contract extension is for the maximum of five years, whereas the one Kessler ultimately signed with the Los Angeles Lakers this summer is for four.
- The Utah Jazz have their point guard of the present, and now the future, too.
- By coming to an agreement on a contract extension with the 22-year-old George now, the Jazz avoid a potential repeat of what happened with Walker Kessler this summer.
- It all probably amounts to a good middle ground of sorts for both the Jazz and George.