5. Dejounte Murray: Four years, $64 million
Dejounte Murray‘s path to stardom seemed clear before a torn ACL sidelined him for the entirety of the 2018-19 season.
Now fully healthy, the San Antonio Spurs were quick to put their faith in the 23-year-old, inking him to a four-year, $64 million contract per The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
During his last full season, Murray slowly earned a spot in Gregg Popovich’s starting lineup and didn’t disappoint. Across 48 starts, he averaged 10.1 points, 7.0 rebounds 3.5 assists and 1.6 steals in just 26.1 minutes a night.
His 6’5” height coupled with a 6’9” wingspan make him one of the best defensive guards in the game, as evidenced by his All-Defensive selection as a sophomore. In a conference where elite point guards are a nightly challenge, having an individual stopper like Murray is quite the luxury for the Spurs.
Given the number of nine-figure deals that have been handed out, San Antonio could wind up with a bargain for Murray’s services.
Of course, there’s inherent risk in committing to a player coming off a torn ACL. With elite defensive chops and a growing offensive arsenal, Murray’s new contract is the perfect sweet-spot for the Spurs to be all-in on their point guard of the future.