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Indiana Pacers salary series: Just how much could Sabonis’ next contract be?

By Tony East

MEMPHIS, TN - OCTOBER 6: Domantas Sabonis #11 of the Indiana Pacers handles the ball against the Memphis Grizzlies during a pre-season game on October 6, 2018 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
MEMPHIS, TN - OCTOBER 6: Domantas Sabonis #11 of the Indiana Pacers handles the ball against the Memphis Grizzlies during a pre-season game on October 6, 2018 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Domantas Sabonis Indiana Pacers
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – JANUARY 24: Domantas Sabonis #11 of the Indiana Pacers looks to the basket against Tyson Chandler #4 of the Phoenix Suns during a game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on January 24, 2018, in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Pacers won 116-101. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Domantas Sabonis’ Current Contract

Sabonis is currently on his rookie contract, which had its value determined before he was even selected.

As the No. 11 pick in the 2016 draft by the Orlando Magic (technically), Sabonis earned a four-year, $11,179,555 contract to start off his career. That is the contract he is currently entering the third season of.

Because his contract is a rookie scale deal, it comes with some caveats, though most of them have passed. The third and fourth seasons of Sabonis’ deal were team options, meaning if he didn’t perform well early in the deal those options could have been declined before the contract ended, thus ending it early. The Pacers picked up the third year option last summer, and as we learned recently, they picked up his fourth year team option as well, meaning he will earn the full $11.2 million that was laid out earlier.

That move was clearly going to happen. The Pacers want to keep Sabonis around for a long time, and picking up that option gives them Sabonis for an extra season before he enters restricted free agency in the summer of 2020. Then, they have to pay him to keep him.

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