A Timberwolves team that traded away two stars named Kevin this decade on Wednesday signed young star Andrew Wiggins to a maximum extension that will keep him under contract through 2023.
Wiggins' five-year deal worth about $148 million dwarfs in franchise history a $126 million extension a young Kevin Garnett signed in 1997, a $65 million extension Al Jefferson signed in 2007 and the $62 million deal Kevin Love signed in 2012.
In the NBA these days, that's merely the price of milk for a promising young star who's just 22 years old. Fellow members of Wiggins' 2014 draft class are also cashing in. Philadelphia's oft-injured Joel Embiid on Tuesday signed an extension comparable to Wiggins', and Denver's Gary Harris last weekend signed for $74 million guaranteed. Wolves forward Gorgui Dieng last fall signed for $64 million.
Both Kevins later were traded after they earned All-Star and All-NBA honors. That was after they had signed rookie extensions that kept them in Minnesota for at least one big second contract.
Wiggins did the same Wednesday, five days before a Monday league deadline.
He agreed with a team that hasn't made the playoffs since 2004, refuting some of his hometown Toronto fans once eager to wear Raptors jerseys bearing his name not long after the Wolves acquired him in a 2014 trade that sent Love to Cleveland.
Wiggins technically was a Cavalier for two months, but now will be a Timberwolf, barring a trade, for his first nine pro seasons because of an extension that starts with the 2018-19 season.
At a Wednesday news conference, Wiggins said he never considered anywhere else because of a variety of reasons beyond 148 million obvious ones.