Dallas

AP Source: Mavs to Sign Porzingis to Richest Deal in Franchise History

The deal is reportedly for five years and $158 million

A person with knowledge of the deal says the Dallas Mavericks and Kristaps Porzingis have agreed on a $158 million, five-year maximum contract that will pair the 7-foot-3-inch Latvian with fellow Euro star Luka Doncic.

The deal for the richest contract in franchise history comes after the Mavericks sent a pair of first-round picks and 2017 No. 9 overall selection Dennis Smith Jr. to the New York Knicks for Porzingis in a seven-player trade before the deadline last season.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal can't become official until the free agency moratorium ends Saturday.

Porzingis and Doncic, the dynamic 20-year-old Slovenian guard who was just named Rookie of the Year, haven't played together yet. But the Mavericks have high hopes of them making Dallas a contender again after missing the playoffs three straight years.

The 23-year-old Porzingis sat out all of last season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in what turned out to be his last game for the Knicks in February 2018. The injury happened not long after Porzingis was named an All-Star for the first time.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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