Roy, Blazers agree on 5-year extension
August 6, 2009
Now that two-time All-Star Brandon Roy(notes) and the Portland Trail Blazers haveagreed to a five-year contract extension, his agent says it is possible Roy willstay in his native Northwest for his entire career.
Agent Bob Myers confirmed to The Associated Press late Wednesday night thatRoy has agreed in principle to a five-year contract at the NBA maximum salary.Myers said the fifth year, ending in 2015, is at Roy’s option.
Myers said he’s expecting the Blazers to hold a news conference on Friday toannounce the deal, which was first reported Wednesday by Yahoo! Sports.
The extension could be worth more than $80 million, depending on what theleague’s salary cap is for the 2010-11 season. That would be the second-richestin Portland’s history.
The 25-year-old Roy will earn just under $4 million this season, the finalyear of his rookie contract. The new deal is likely to net him around $14million for the 2010-11 season, and he will receive 10.5 percent raises on hisbase salary each season from 2011-2012 through the end of the deal.
Myers acknowledged it is rare for players today to remain with one team fortheir entire careers because of free agency and the salary cap, but said Roy“is one of the unique players to have a chance to have that sort ofrelationship with one team.”
“Both sides would benefit in that arrangement,” Myers said.
The 25-year-old Roy led the Blazers with 22.6 points and 5.1 assists pergame last season, his third in the league. The Seattle native and 2006 Pac-10player of the year at Washington was the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2007 as theNo. 6 overall pick by Minnesota, who traded his rights to Portland.
The versatile, high-scoring guard helped the Blazers go 54-28 last season,which they began as the second-youngest team in the NBA and ended with theirfirst postseason appearance since 2003. Roy scored 52 points in a game againstPhoenix in December, the second-most points scored in a game by a Blazersplayer.
In the process, he and the team won back a fan base that had been jaded bythe so-called Jail Blazers of the recent past.
Portland was 21-61 in the season before Roy arrived.
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