SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio Spurs are beginning a deep rebuild and forward Keldon Johnson will be a part of that for years to come.
According to a report from The Athletic's Sham Charania, Johnson inked a four-year, $80 million contract extension with San Antonio.
This is a huge sign that Johnson is part of the franchise's long-term plans and will be key for the future of the franchise.
"They [Spurs] believe in me and they trust me to lead these guys in the right direction. I'm definitely taking that serious," Johnson said in an ESPN interview.
With the departure of Dejounte Murray, Johnson is embracing the role as the new team leader and is hoping the new season ahead will be better than most believe.
Despite a major roster shake-up, he is hoping the team can still push for the Play-In or playoffs next season despite many pegging the Spurs to be among the worst teams next season.
"Hopefully, we can be in something like that similar next season if not in the playoffs," Johnson said about playing in the 2022 Play-In tournament versus the Pelicans.
Johnson posted 17.0 points per game (a career-high), and 2.1 assists per game, along with 47% field-goal shooting and 40% shooting from the three-point line last season.
To close out the 2021-22 season, he averaged 20.0 points per game in March and 21.3 points per game in April.
Off the court, he is a fixture in the San Antonio community giving back to Lanier High School, supporting the local military, and stepping up to help preserve San Antonio rivers.
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