A $15 million, 3-year deal! Warriors officially announce early contract extension for Santos: The third year is a player option.

On March 1st, Beijing time, the Warriors officially announced that third-year forward Santos has signed a multi-year contract extension with the team. According to renowned reporter Shams, Santos' deal is a 3-year, $15 million extension, which includes a player option for the 2028-29 season.

For most of this season, Santos' role was relatively limited, but after Butler's absence due to an ACL tear, he received significant playing time. The Brazilian player has performed excellently in the past 12 games, averaging 28.8 minutes, 15.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.9 blocks.

During these 12 games, Santos started in 10, including starting all of the team's last 9 games, shooting 58.8% from the field, 43.1% from three-point range, and 69.2% from the free-throw line.

So far this season, Santos has played 48 games for the Warriors, averaging 16.0 minutes per game, with 6.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists, while shooting 53.1% from the field, 39.0% from three-point range, and 68.0% from the free-throw line.

Santos was originally set to become a restricted free agent in the offseason. Instead of waiting until summer to negotiate, the 23-year-old chose an early contract extension to remain with the team that drafted him with the 55th overall pick in 2022.

Although Santos' NBA experience is not extensive, considering his recent performance and the role he is expected to play for the remainder of this season, an average annual value of $5 million is very team-friendly.

However, having the player option for the 2028-29 season is a good compromise for Santos. He will become eligible for another extension two years from now (February 28, 2028), and if he declines the third-year option, he will become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2028.