Cody Zeller, Hornets Agree on New Contract: Details, Comments and Reaction | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors
Daniel Santos Charlotte Hornets @hornetsIt’s official! 🙌 Congratulations on the extension,@CodyZeller!
Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical first reported Monday the deal is worth $56 million over four years.
The No. 4 pick in the 2013 draft has improved in every season of his career, growing his scoring average from 6.0 points per game as a rookie to 7.6 in 2014-15 and 8.7 last season. Through three games in the 2016-17 campaign, the center is averaging 10.7 points per game.
Zeller has also been a solid rebounder, averaging 5.4 per game throughout his time in the NBA.
Monday night is the deadline to extend players from the 2013 class.
While the new contract is a nice bump in pay for Zeller, Bobby Marks of The Vertical discussed the value of the deal for Charlotte:
Bobby Marks @BobbyMarks42Great value on the Zeller deal based on: 1. 1st year salary is below his FA cap hold 2. Will keep Charlotte under the tax next year
Marks also noted the Hornets continued a trend of locking up their young players to extensions, including 26-year-old Kemba Walker and 23-year-old Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.
Zeller's contract also pales in comparison to what other centers received Monday, including $100 million deals for both Steven Adams of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz, per Gerald Bourguet of Hoops Habit.
Additionally, Wojnarowski reported Sunday opposing teams would have been interested in targeting Zeller as a restricted free agent, though Charlotte won't have to worry about that after locking up the 24-year-old for the next four seasons.
