The Orlando Magic and guard Jalen Suggs have agreed to a five-year, $150.5 million rookie contract extension. Magic officials and Suggs negotiated the new deal, holding a series of meetings in Orlando to complete it before today's deadline of 6 p.m.
Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs has agreed to a five-year, $150.5 million rookie contract extension with the franchise, sources tell ESPN. Massive new deal for the 2024 NBA All-Defensive team member. pic.twitter.com/7d3LrjcTRG
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 21, 2024
Suggs, 22, had his best season yet last year, finishing the year averaging a career 12.6 PPG while also averaging career highs in both field goal percentage (47.1%) and three-point percentage (39.7%). Along with his improvements in shooting the ball, Suggs also helped the Magic on the defensive side of the ball, making the NBA All-Defensive Team. He is only the third Magic player to be honored with this, joining legends Horace Grant and Dwight Howard.
Suggs was drafted as the fifth pick in the 2021 NBA draft. He was drafted alongside teammate Franz Wagner, who also signed a five-year, $224 million dollar extension this summer.
It is clear that the Orlando Magic are going all-in on this team. The team finished 47-35 last season, fifth place in the east, making the playoffs for the first time since the 2019-2020 season. The Magic fell to the Cavaliers in Game 7 of the first round; although the team lost, the future seems bright. With an average age of 24.3 years old, the Magic's young core is set up for success in the upcoming seasons. Led by 21-year-old Paolo Banchero, the Magic take on the 2024-25 season with revenge and hopes for their first championship in franchise history.
