In locking down Steven Adams, the Oklahoma City Thunder have secured their core for the foreseeable future, claims basketball journalist Eric Horne.
Mr Horne covers the Thunder for The Oklahoman, and says after the side signed superstar Russell Westbrook long-term, Adams was the next chip to fall.
"Steven Adams and Russell Westbrook are the two clear centre-pieces of the Thunder franchise," Horne said.
"To have those two locked up, it's got to make people around Oklahoma very happy."
Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reported that Adams and the Thunder were negotiating a deal in the $100m ($140m NZD) range, which is expected to be completed by the October 31 deadline.
It would easily make him the highest paid New Zealand athlete across all of sport and Horne says this deal's been coming for some time.
"For as long as the Thunder have been a competitive team, Serge Ibaka's been that defensive anchor, and when they traded him [on June 23], they were really pushing their chips in on Steven Adams as a young centre-piece," Horne said.
He is still young, just 23, and this deal would see the Thunder secure him for his best years, something Horne says we're yet to fully see.
"He still has work to do, he's still apprehensive a little on offence, he's still learning his offence."
"We've seen him develop that floater or one handed jumper, and he's got great rapport with Westbrook."
"There's still learning to go with Steven Adams."
One of those is also off the court, with superstar Kevin Durant gone, Adams is now a prominent voice on the team, and in the media.
"We all know Steven Adams as the guy who's got great quotes, and has got something funny to say, but he's also matured in that he knows he has to have a voice because it can't all fall on Westbrook."
"Steven's been great in that regard, and with his team-mates he's said that he's taken on that father-role with some of the younger players," Horne said.
If fathering the younger players means opening up his wallet for them, Adams won't be short of cash for many years to come.
Newshub.