Baynes to cash in as new NBA contract looms

Aron Baynes is set to become the next Australian to sign a huge new NBA contract.

Boston’s Australian centre Aron Baynes has turned himself into a three-point threat

Aron Baynes is set to become the next Australian to sign a huge new NBA contract.

The big Queenslander, who becomes a free agent at the end of the season, has been outstanding in the Boston Celtics’ playoff run, shattering his former image as a one-dimensional bruiser around the basket.

Baynes has become a deadly three-point shooter — an essential skill needed for a modern NBA big man.

“I’m always trying to expand my game and this day and age it is about creating space and what better way to do that than to try step out there and knock down some shots,” Baynes said.

The 31-year-old, 208cm tall forward/centre has connected with 10 of his 20 three-point shots in the post season, a better percentage than Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, James Harden, Kyle Korver and other sharpshooters left in the playoffs.

While Boomers’ teammates Joe Ingles and Patty Mills signed huge new multi-year contracts last year, Baynes was picked up by the Celtics for a thrifty one-year, $US4.32 million deal.

Ingles signed a four-year $US52 million contract with the Utah Jazz and Mills inked a four-year $US49.7 million deal with the San Antonio Spurs.

Baynes will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the Celtics’ season, giving him freedom to negotiate a new deal with Boston or another team.

The Australian, however, is focused on extending the Celtics’ 2-0 lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. Game three is in Cleveland on Sunday.

Cavs’ coach Tyronn Lue said his team has failed to match the toughness of the Celtics, controversially describing the physical style Baynes and his teammates play as “gooning it up”.

“It’s not a bad thing to goon it up,” Lue said. “They are taking hard fouls, they are being physical and playing playoff basketball. “That’s all I meant by it. Nothing bad.”

Cavs’ big man Tristan Thompson said his team needed to pressure Baynes and Celtics forward Al Horford to choke the Celtics’ offence.

“Horford and Baynes, they like to run a lot of the offence,” Thompson said. “We need to pressure them.”

AAP