Jalen Suggs Signs Rookie Extension with Orlando Magic
Orlando, FL – Another key member of the Orlando Magic will remain in Central Florida for the foreseeable future. The Magic have agreed to a five-year, $150.5 million ($30.1 million AAV) contract extension with guard Jalen Suggs, as first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania. Suggs’ new contract is fully guaranteed and does not include any options, according to The Athletic.
Suggs’ Performance and Rise as a Defensive Star
In his third season with the Magic, Suggs averaged 12.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.4 steals in 75 games on 47.1% shooting from the field and 39.7% from behind the 3-point line. The 23-year-old blossomed into a fearsome perimeter defender last season, a skill that earned Suggs a spot on the NBA’s All-Defensive Second Team.
Orlando Magic’s Core Players Committed to Long-Term Contracts
Suggs is one of four players who earned contract extensions with the Magic this offseason, joining teammates Jonathan Isaac (five years, $84M), Franz Wagner (five years, $224M), and Wendell Carter Jr. (three years, $59M). This extension is likely the Magic’s final step of the offseason in locking together a core that won 47 games last season and played in its first playoff series.
Magic’s Commitment to Continuity and Success
“These guys, we’ve given them the opportunity and they’ve shown that we can win with them,” Orlando Magic President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman told reporters during media day. “Why wouldn’t we keep them together?”
Suggs’ Role as a Lead Ball Handler
The Magic are entrusting Suggs with great responsibility as the team’s lead ball handler, especially with the departure of point guard Markelle Fultz. It may not be perfect yet — he recorded five turnovers in the Magic’s first preseason game on Oct. 7 — but Magic coaches have noticed his talent and improvements as a playmaker.
Suggs’ Growth as a Playmaker
“[Suggs’] ability to recognize what’s happening in the flow of the game has been just tremendous since the start of training camp to now,” Head Coach Jamahl Mosley said on Oct. 15.
Contract Negotiations and Notable Extensions Across the NBA
NBA Insider Marc Stein reported on Saturday that Suggs and his camp sought a deal of at least $30 million per year. Charania reported on Monday that the Magic held a “series of meetings” with Suggs’ agent to finalize his new contract in Orlando before the NBA contract extension deadline on Monday at 6 p.m.
Other notable players to sign extensions on Monday include Trey Murphy III (four years, $112M), Jalen Green (three years, $106M), Jalen Johnson (five years, $150 million) and Alperen Sengun (5 years, $185M).
Suggs Secures His Place as a Magic Franchise Cornerstone
The Magic selected Suggs with the fifth pick in the 2021 NBA Draft hoping he could become a franchise cornerstone one day. Suggs’ new contract is now one of the 60 largest in the NBA as of Monday, suggesting that the Magic believe those hopes have come true.
