Basketball

$300m man! Adams signs new NBA deal

October 2, 2022 9:29 am

Kiwi NBA star Steven Adams [Source: NZ Herald]

Kiwi NBA star Steven Adams has locked in a new deal with the Memphis Grizzlies that will take his career earnings past the NZ$300m mark.

The centre has signed a two-year, US$25.2m contract extension with the Grizzlies, the team announced on their website.

He’s already getting paid US$17.9m for the upcoming season, his 10th in the NBA, with the extension kicking in the following year.

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Adams averaged 6.9 points and set career highs with averages of 10.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists over 76 games last season, his first with the Grizzlies following a trade from the New Orleans Pelicans.

The new deal will take his career cash earnings to more than US$170m (NZ$304m) by the end of his 12th season, according to Spotrac.com.

The 29-year-old led the NBA last season with 349 total offensive rebounds and 4.6 offensive rebounds per game.

Memphis posted the second-best record in the NBA during the 2021-22 regular season at 56-26, which tied the franchise record and earned the Grizzlies the Southwest Division championship, the first division title in franchise history.