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ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks signed point guard Dennis Schroder a four-year contract extension worth $70 million, a person familiar with the deal said Wednesday.
The deal extends Schroder's contract through the 2020-21 season. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Hawks did not release details when announcing a new four-year deal.
The Hawks committed to Schroder by trading Jeff Teague to Indiana in the offseason and added to the commitment with the deal that matches the four-year contract given to small forward Kent Bazemore in the offseason.
Schroder, 23, spent the last three seasons as Teague's backup. He set career highs with his averages of 11 points and 4.4 assists last season. The Hawks are 11-5 in his 16 career starts.
"Over the past three years, we have watched Dennis grow into an elite competitor and an emerging, two-way player," said Hawks coach and president of basketball operations Mike Budenholzer in a statement released by the team. "We look forward to his continued development and are excited to make this long-term commitment."
Schroder announced the deal on his Twitter account. The German player said he was "Glad to be here 4 more years."
"Since coming from Germany as a rookie, this organization and the entire city of Atlanta has embraced me and watched me grow," Schroder said in a statement released by the Hawks. "I would like to thank my teammates, the coaching staff and the front office for having faith in me. I'm determined to keep improving as a player and I believe that our team has a chance to accomplish some special things together."
Schroder and center Dwight Howard, who signed a three-year, $70.5 million deal as a free agent, are the new starters for the Hawks, who open their season on Thursday night against Washington.
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