Magic give big contract extension to All-Defensive team member

Jul 29, 2021; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Jalen Suggs (Gonzaga) arrives on the red carpet before the 2021 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Orlando Magic are rewarding one of their top players with a big contract extension.

The Magic are giving Jalen Suggs a 5-year, $151 million extension, we learned on Monday. The contract pays Suggs an annual average of $30.1 million.

Suggs was the No. 5 overall pick by the Magic in 2021 out of Gonzaga. He showed significant improvement last season and averaged 12.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game. His 47.1 percent field goal shooting and 39.7 percent three-point shooting were the best of his career.

Suggs finished 8th in Most Improve Player voting, 10th in Defensive Player of the Year voting, and he was named to the second-team All-Defense.

The Magic will now have Suggs, Franz Wagner, Wendell Carter Jr., and Jonathan Isaac all under contract through 2027-2028. The only player from their core that they need to lock up long-term is Paolo Banchero.

The Magic are an improving franchise. They went 47-35 last season, which was their best record since 2010-2011. They lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Cavaliers and are hoping to go farther than that this season.