Jazz, O'Neale agree to 4-year, $36M extension

The Utah Jazz have agreed to a four-year, $36-million extension with Royce O'Neale, his agents told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Undrafted out of Baylor in 2015, O'Neale spent two years playing in Germany and Spain before the Jazz signed him in 2017. Through three seasons in Utah, the 6-foot-4 forward has emerged as a dependable member of Quin Snyder's rotation.

O'Neale has averaged 6.2 points, five rebounds, and 2.5 assists while shooting 44.3% on 3-pointers - all career highs - in 29.6 minutes per game this season. He's started 39 of his 42 appearances.

He's also had a discernible impact on the Jazz's defense. Though two-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert is clearly the team's top defensive player, O'Neale is often tasked with guarding the opponents' top scorers. With the 26-year-old on the court, the team has allowed 104.2 points per 100 possessions; when he sits, the defensive rating rises to 106.4. Lineups featuring both O'Neal and Gobert are downright suffocating, holding opponents to just 101.7 points per 100 possessions.