Latest news with #NBA-best
UPI
10-07-2025
- Business
- UPI
Phoenix Suns, Devin Booker agree to record $145M extension
July 10 (UPI) -- The Phoenix Suns agreed to a two-year, $145 million maximum contract extension with All-NBA guard Devin Booker, his agency confirmed. CAA confirmed the extension Wednesday night. Booker will earn the highest annual extension salary -- $72.5 million -- in NBA history and be under contract through the 2029-30 season. Booker, 28, averaged 25.6 points, 7.1 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game over 75 stars last season for the Suns. He averaged a career-high 27.8 points, 5.5 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game over 53 starts in 2022-23. The 10-year veteran logged 24.4 points, 5.2 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game through the first 673 appearances of his career. The No. 13 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft earned first-team All-NBA honors in 2021-22. He was a third-team selection in 2023-24 and is a a four-time All-Star. The Suns made the playoffs four-consecutive times from 2020-21 through 2023-24, but went 36-46 to miss the 2024-25 postseason. The former Kentucky star averaged 28 points, 5.3 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 1.0 steals over 47 career playoff appearances. He logged an NBA-best 33.7 points per game during the 2022-23 postseason. Booker also averaged a team-high 28.2 points per game during over six appearances during the Suns' 2021 NBA Finals loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. The Suns will take on the Washington Wizards in a Summer League matchup at 9 p.m. EDT Friday in Las Vegas.
New York Post
08-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Knicks open with strong preseason win total after shrewd offseason additions
Gambling content 21+. The New York Post may receive an affiliate commission if you sign up through our links. Read our editorial standards for more information. Oddsmakers don't expect the Knicks to miss a step next season. DraftKings Sportsbook has pegged the Knicks' win total at 52.5 after switching coaches and filling out their rotation this summer. It's the franchise's second-highest Over/Under this century after they went into last season with a win total of 53.5. Only four teams currently have a higher win total than the Knicks. The reigning champion Thunder easily have the highest Over/Under at 62.5 after winning an NBA-best 68 regular-season games last year. The Cavaliers, who are sitting at 55.5 wins, are the only other Eastern Conference team with a higher total than the Knicks. Riding big offseason additions, the Rockets (54.5 wins) and Nuggets (53.5 wins) are the only other teams with better forecasts than the Knicks. Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks dribbles the ball during the game against the Indiana Pacers during Game 6 of the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals on May 31, 2025 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. NBAE via Getty Images Vegas bookies also like the Knicks' postseason chances. At +850, the Knicks are tied with the Cavaliers for the fourth-best 2026 NBA title odds. After winning 51 games last season with a thin rotation, the Knicks are arguably more equipped to have a strong regular season in 2025-26. Betting on the NBA? The Knicks filled out their bench during the early days of free agency, adding forward Guerschon Yabusele and veteran backup point guard Jordan Clarkson without any meaningful departures. There will likely be a bit of a learning curve after the switch from Tom Thibodeau to Mike Brown as the team's head coach, but I like the Knicks to win a few more games next season after their shrewd additions and another year of camaraderie. The play: Knicks over 52.5 wins (-110, DraftKings Sportsbook) Why Trust New York Post Betting Dylan Svoboda is a versatile writer and analyst across many sports. He's particularly knowledgeable about the big three — MLB, the NFL and the NBA.
Time of India
01-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Becomes NBA's Highest-Paid Player with $285M Thunder Extension After Historic MVP Season
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Image via: David Berding/ Getty Images Shai Gilgeous-Alexander , fresh off an MVP season and leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to their first NBA championship, has agreed to a record-setting four-year, $285 million supermax contract extension with the franchise. This deal, confirmed by multiple sources on July 1, 2025, makes Gilgeous-Alexander the highest-paid player in NBA history on an annual basis, with an average salary exceeding $70 million per year. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: MVP, Scoring Champion, and NBA Champion At just 26 years old, Gilgeous-Alexander has cemented himself as one of the league's elite. In the 2024-25 season, he averaged a league-best 32.7 points per game, along with 5.0 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 1.7 steals, guiding the Thunder to an NBA-best 68-14 record. His dominance continued in the playoffs, where he posted 29.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game, culminating in a Finals MVP performance as Oklahoma City defeated the Indiana Pacers in a dramatic seven-game series. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's historic season places him in rare company. He became only the fourth player in NBA history to win the regular season MVP, Finals MVP, and a scoring title in the same year, joining legends Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Shaquille O'Neal. Gilgeous-Alexander's Contract: Unprecedented Value - Length: 4 years (extension begins 2027-28, runs through 2030-31) - Total Value: $285 million - Average Annual Salary: $71.25 million (highest in NBA history) - Yearly Breakdown: - 2027-28: $63.5 million - 2028-29: $68.6 million - 2029-30: $73.7 million - 2030-31: $78.8 million This extension comes while Gilgeous-Alexander still has two years and over $78 million left on his current deal, meaning he is now locked in with the Thunder for the next six seasons, through his age-32 season. Why Now? Strategic and Financial Implications Shai Gilgeous-Alexander became eligible for this supermax extension after back-to-back All-NBA First Team selections. While he could have waited another year to sign a five-year, $380 million extension (which would have paid him an average of $76 million per year), he opted for security and immediate generational wealth, especially considering the risks of injury and shifting NBA economics. By negotiating without an agent—having parted ways with his representation earlier in 2025—he also saved up to $11.4 million in commissions. Impact on the OKC Thunder and the NBA This extension solidifies Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the face of the Thunder and ensures Oklahoma City will remain a perennial championship contender. With all key rotation players under contract and young stars like Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren eligible for extensions, the Thunder are positioned for sustained success. However, the financial commitment also means the front office must carefully manage the roster under the NBA's salary cap and luxury tax rules. Historical Significance of Shai's New Contract With the OKC Thunder - Richest annual salary in NBA history - First player to average over $70 million per year - Joins a select group of multi-MVP and Finals MVP winners - First player since Shaquille O'Neal in 2000 to win the scoring title and NBA championship in the same season Also read: Giannis Antetokounmpo Fires Back at Stephen A. Smith's 'Underachiever' Claim with Championship Hardware Display Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's extension is more than just a reward for individual brilliance; it is a statement of intent from the Thunder and a new benchmark for superstar contracts in the NBA. As the league's financial landscape continues to evolve, SGA's deal will serve as a reference point for future negotiations and the value of elite two-way playmakers in the modern NBA. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
How OKC Thunder won first NBA title: Relive playoff run by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander & Co.
If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission. Pricing and availability are subject to change. Who won the NBA Finals? The Oklahoma City Thunder. That's who. It took seven grueling games against Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers, but the Thunder broke through to win its first NBA championship. Advertisement With MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the way, OKC won a NBA-best 68 games in the regular season and had the largest point differential (+12.87) in league history. The Thunder became the second-youngest team to win the title. Here's how the Thunder beat the Pacers for the championship: Celebrate Thunder's title with these keepsakes NBA Playoffs: Thunder vs. Timberwolves | Western Conference finals NBA Playoffs: Thunder vs. Nuggets | Western Conference semifinals NBA Playoffs: Thunder vs. Grizzlies | Western Conference first round Advertisement Jeff Patterson is the sports editor for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Jeff? He can be reached at jpatterson@ or on X/Twitter at @jeffpattOKC. Support Jeff's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at . This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: How OKC Thunder won first NBA championship: See full playoff results
Straits Times
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Indiana Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton says no regrets after Achilles tendon surgery
Tyrese Haliburton posted a message on social media from his hospital bed after suffering a torn right Achilles tendon in the NBA Finals.. PHOTOS: INSTAGRAM, EPA-EFE NEW YORK - Tyrese Haliburton said he has no regrets about trying to help the Indiana Pacers win an NBA title even after suffering a torn right Achilles tendon in the NBA Finals. The 25-year-old posted a message on X with himself in a hospital bed making the shape of a heart with his hands after undergoing surgery in New York on June 23. 'Man. Don't know how to explain it other than shock. Words cannot express the pain of this letdown. The frustration is unfathomable,' Haliburton wrote. 'I've worked my whole life to get to this moment and this is how it ends? Makes no sense.' Haliburton played with a calf strain for the Pacers in a June 22 winner-take-all game seven of the NBA Finals against Oklahoma City. He fell to the court untouched and in pain about seven minutes into the decisive contest, which the host Thunder won to take the title. 'Honestly, right now, torn Achilles and all, I don't regret it,' wrote Haliburton. 'I'd do it again, and again after that, to fight for this city and my brothers. For the chance to do something special.' Haliburton had been averaging 17.7 points and an NBA-best 9.0 assists a game in the playoffs, leading a charge by the Pacers for what they hoped would be the team's first NBA crown in a basketball-crazy state. 'Indy, I'm sorry. If any fan base doesn't deserve this, it's y'all,' Haliburton wrote. 'But together we are going to fight like hell to get back to this very spot, and get over this hurdle. I don't doubt for a second that y'all have my back, and I hope you guys know that I have yours.' Haliburton joked about how often he has been told he will come back stronger from the setback, although he gave no timeframe for such a comeback from an injury that has typically cost players an entire season while rehabilitating. 'Now that I've gotten surgery, I wish I could count the number of times people will tell me I'm going to 'come back stronger'. What a cliche lol, this (stuff) sucks,' Haliburton wrote. 'My foot feels like dead weight. But what's hurting most I think is my mind. Feel like I'm rambling, but I know this is something I'll look back on when I'm through this, as something I'm proud I fought through. 'It feels good to let this... out without y'all seeing the kid ugly cry.' 'Watch how I come back Haliburton cited the late NBA superstar Kobe Bryant in summing up his feelings about his own situation. 'I think Kobe said it best when in this same situation,' Haliburton wrote. ''There are far greater issues/challenges in the world then a torn achilles. Stop feeling sorry for yourself, find the silver lining and get to work with the same belief, same drive and same conviction as ever.' 'And that's exactly right. I will do everything in my power to get back right. My journey to get to where I am today wasn't by happenstance, I've pushed myself every day to be great. And I will continue to do just that.' 'I don't 'have to' go through this, I get to go through this,' he added. 'I'm grateful for the road that lies ahead. Watch how I come back from this. So, give me some time, I'll dust myself off and get right back to being the best version of Tyrese Haliburton.' AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
