The Jazz have locked in one of their young core pieces for the long haul, agreeing with guard Keyonte George on a rookie scale extension worth $157.5 million over five years, according to Shams Charania and Tim MacMahon of ESPN.
The new deal will kick in in 2027/28, after George plays out the $6.56 million final year of his rookie contract in 2026/27. It runs through the 2031/32 season and does not include a player option or a team option, Charania reported.
Jake Fischer of The Stein Line said the contract includes $500,000 in annual incentives. Fischer added that the $2.5 million in total bonuses appears to be part of the $157.5 million figure, which would make the base value of the extension $155 million.
George, who turns 23 in November, was the No. 16 pick in the 2023 draft. The 6-foot-4 combo guard carved out a rotation role right away as a rookie for a Jazz team in the middle of a rebuild, and his production has climbed in each of his three NBA seasons.
This past season, George averaged 23.6 points, 6.1 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 33.1 minutes per game across 54 appearances, all starts, before a hamstring strain ended his year during the final month. He shot .456 from the field, .371 from three and .892 at the line.
The offensive growth has been obvious. The question around George has always been the other end, where his defense has drawn concern and advanced metrics have pegged him among the league’s worst defenders over the last three years. Utah, meanwhile, finished either 29th or 30th in defensive rating in each of those seasons.
Even with that backdrop, the extension shows the Jazz believe George can keep developing defensively and can mesh with this year’s No. 2 overall pick, Darryn Peterson. Neither player is a classic point guard, but Utah is confident the two can split ball-handling and playmaking duties in the backcourt.
George becomes the third first-round pick from the 2023 class to land a rookie scale extension this offseason, joining Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama and Rockets guard Amen Thompson. Wembanyama signed a five-year maximum deal projected at $255 million, while Thompson agreed to a five-year, $208 million contract that includes a 10% trade kicker.
George’s extension puts him at an average of $31 million per year on his second NBA contract, well short of the projected max of $51 million annually. That figure could rise to $31.5 million if he hits his bonuses.
With George under contract, the Jazz now have all of their franchise cornerstones secured for at least the next three seasons. Lauri Markkanen and Ace Bailey are both signed through 2029, Peterson’s rookie deal runs through 2030, and big man Jaren Jackson Jr. has three guaranteed years left plus a player option for 2029/30.
In Other News...
Jazz Just Made A Franchise-Shaping Bet On Keyonte George
The Jazz have made their long-term commitment to Keyonte George official, reaching agreement on a five-year rookie-scale extension that will keep the guard in Utah through 2031. The deal, worth $157.5 million, comes after months of negotiations and reflects how strongly the organization views George as part of its future core.
By moving now, Utah avoids the uncertainty of restricted free agency and locks in a player it sees as a cornerstone moving forward. The average annual value of $31.5 million is a clear sign of belief, and it also raises the stakes for George as he settles into the kind of franchise role the Jazz have been building around. [Read more 🡒]