De'Andre Hunter, Atlanta Hawks Agree to Four-Year, $95 Million Extension

Players selected in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft had until 6pm ET on Monday to sign a contract extension with their respective organizations. If no deal was made, those players would likely become restricted free agents after this upcoming NBA season.

Such was the case for De'Andre Hunter, the 4th overall pick of the Atlanta Hawks in 2019. As the deadline came and went on Monday evening, it appeared that no such agreement on a contract extension had occurred between Hunter and the Hawks.

Then, two hours later, it was reported that De'Andre Hunter and the Atlanta Hawks had indeed come to an agreement on an extension that will pay the former Virginia star a total of $95 million and keep him in Atlanta for another four years past his rookie contract. The news was first reported by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

At the 6 PM ET buzzer: Atlanta Hawks forward De'Andre Hunter has agreed on a four-year, $95 million contract extension, his agents Thad Foucher and Joe Smith of @Wassbasketball tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/mDm6hZTosm
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 18, 2022

Per All Hawks, Hunter will receive $9 million this season to finish out his rookie contract and then he is set to make $23.7 million per year through 2027, making him the third-highest paid member of the Atlanta Hawks, trailing John Collins and Trae Young.

Hunter's strong finish to the 2021-2022 NBA season undoubtedly played a factor in the Hawks wanting to secure his future with the franchise, as he averaged 21.2 points on 56% shooting and 46% three-point shooting over five playoff games in Atlanta's first-round series loss to the No. 1 seed Miami Heat. Although he has had some durability issues, missing 91 total games over the course of his first three seasons with lingering knee and wrist injuries, Hunter's value on both ends of the floor as a capable scoring wing and lockdown defender was simply too much for the Hawks to let go of.

Through his first three seasons of professional basketball, Hunter has averaged 13.2 points and 4.1 rebounds per game and has shot 43.4% from the field and 35.9% from three. But Hunter's role for the Hawks is even more significant on the defensive end, where he is routinely asked to guard the opponent's best players - usually All-star caliber scorers.

Just when it seemed like De'Andre Hunter might be testing the market next summer, now it appears he will continue to call Atlanta home for years to come.

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