Utah Jazz May Now Have Blueprint for Keyonte George Contract Negotiations

The Utah Jazz have still yet to come to an agreement on a new contract for their fourth-year guard Keyonte George.

George is heading into his fourth season with the Jazz for the 2026-27 campaign, which marks the last year of his rookie contract and what could be a major payday to stick around in Utah.

He's eligible to negotiate and sign that extension now, but to this point in the offseason, there hasn't been a ton of reported traction just yet on a deal coming to form.

However, following some of the recent events around the NBA world, there's a chance that the Jazz may now get the ball rolling just a bit further on a George extension, as one of his draft classmates, Amen Thompson, signed his respective extension with the Houston Rockets.

How Amen Thompson's New Contract Could Affect Jazz, Keyonte George

According to a recent report from ESPN's Shams Charania, the Rockets and Thompson have agreed to a five-year, $204 million extension to keep the 2023 No. 4 pick in Houston through the 2032 season.

Just in: Houston Rockets' Amen Thompson has agreed to a five-year, $208 million rookie-scale contract extension with the franchise, sources tell ESPN. The new deal includes a 10% trade kicker. pic.twitter.com/3YR9F6lYnv
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 3, 2026

It's a significant pay raise for Thompson, who will now be netting an AAV around $41 million upon his extension kicking in next season.

The value of the deal projects to start at $35.2 million in 2027-28, and rise to $47.3 million in the final year in 2031-32, according to numbers via Spotrac.

And for the Jazz, there's a world where this contract could act as a bit of a blueprint for what Keyonte George's upcoming extension could look like to remain in Utah.

While not apples to apples, both George and Thompson are in similar situations as it relates to their standing in the league, and what their value could be worth moving forward. They're guards who have shown to have clear upside for the next several years as some of the better players in their draft class, even if not totally polished products three seasons into their pro careers.

If the Jazz value George in a similar light, perhaps shooting for a similar AAV of $41 million, or perhaps even slightly less on that upcoming contract, would be a worthwhile contract that both sides would find agreeable.

Jan 20, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) reacts after making a three point basket against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second half at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There is an incentive for George to continue to hold out on signing that next extension until 2027, though, depending on what he's searching for on his second contract.

The Jazz guard is coming off of the best season of his NBA career from 2025-26, where he averaged career-highs across the board, including an impressive 23 points a night. With a better year ahead, George could have a real opportunity to maximize his value even further from where it may stand currently.

But perhaps George wants to have that long-term security on the Jazz's roster sooner rather than later. And if he does, that could lead to him and Utah's front office finding terms on a new extension before the regular season tips off next month.

If George and the Jazz are able to find traction on a deal before the season, this Thompson contract might be a key factor pushing things in the right direction. Now, both sides have a comparable offer to stack up George's numbers to, and potentially see a middle ground for an agreement in the weeks ahead before the rookie-scale extension deadline hits.

That deadline hits on October 19th; a day before the NBA regular season tips off, and now sits a little over six weeks away. So until then, expect the speculation to continue on whether or not George will be due for a new extension to stick around in Utah before his fourth season officially gets underway.

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