De’Andre Hunter is getting paid. The 2019 #4 overall pick signed a four-year, $95 million extension with the Atlanta Hawks on Monday that will make him the highest-paid UVA Basketball alum.
Hunter, entering his fourth season, has averaged 13.2 points and 4.1 rebounds per game for the Hawks in 139 NBA games.
The one knock on Hunter, a key piece on the 2019 UVA national-title team, has been durability. He has yet to play more than 63 games in an NBA season, missing significant time in both 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 with a litany of injuries.
Hunter is a solid perimeter shooter – he shot a career-best 37.9 percent from three-point range last season – but his value is on the defensive end.
According to ESPN Stats and Information data, Hunter matched up on defense against 2022 NBA All-Stars 761 times, and the All-Stars recorded a 45.7 percent effective field goals percentage in those matchups – ranking Hunter in the top-10 among 57 players to record 500-plus matchups.
The average annual value of Hunter’s new deal, which kicks in next season, is $23.9 million.
Malcolm Brogdon, who is set to earn $22.6 million with the Boston Celtics this season, signed a two-year extension with the Cs that will pay him $22.5 million per season through 2024-2025.
Joe Harris is set to earn $18.6 million this season in Year 3 of a four-year deal with the Brooklyn Nets that will pay him $19.9 million in 2023-2024.
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Chris Graham
