NBA Free Agency: Donovan Mitchell, Jason Tatum sign monster contracts

Aussie beast Aron Baynes has made a dramatic team switch after the dominoes fell following a contract war that went down to the wire.

Aron Baynes has a new home.

Max extensions for All Stars Jayson Tatum and Donovan Mitchell have headlined another dramatic day of NBA free agency.

Aussie big-man Aron Baynes also made a surprise move on day three after he was picked up by the Toronto Raptors on a two-year deal, reported to be worth $US14.3 million ($19.5m).

The Athletic’s Shams Charania first reported Baynes’ move from Phoenix as the dominoes fell following the Lakers’ signing of veteran centre Marc Gasol.

Gasol was chased by several teams across the NBA and reports claimed on Sunday his decision was down to the Lakers and Raptors.

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Los Angeles won the contract war when they shipped out JaVale McGee in order to free up salary cap space and upgrade their offer to Gasol.

With Gasol off the market, the Raptors moved quickly to lock down Baynes on a deal which reportedly gives the team the option in the second year of the Aussie’s deal, per Charania.

It was just one of several dramatic moves on Monday.

Just minutes after Mitchell reportedly agreed to a $267 million deal, it was revealed Tatum has signed the richest deal of the free agency, a $US200m rookie max extension, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Aron Baynes has made an interesting move.

The five-year deal reportedly includes a player option after the fourth year of the deal in 2025.

Earlier, Mitchell has reportedly signed off on a five-year deal worth up to $US195 million ($267m), according to Wojnarowski.

The deal includes a guarantee of $US163 million, but performance bonuses would see him join De’Aaron Fox with the biggest deals of the free agency frenzy so far.

Donovan Mitchell is staying in Utah.

The Lakers have been the biggest movers and shakers during 2020 free agency, including the signing of reigning NBA Sixth Man of the Year Motrezl Harrell.

The Lakers already had Dennis Schroder in the bag.

They also picked up Wesley Matthews on a one-year, $US3.6M deal as the perfect, cheaper, replacement for Danny Green.

Harrell agreed to a two-year $US19M deal with the Lakers, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.

Meanwhile, Washington star Davis Bertans has finalised a five-year, $US80 million contract extension with the Wizards, per Wojnarowski.

Originally published as NBA Free Agency: Donovan Mitchell, Jason Tatum sign monster contracts