TJ Warren, Suns Reportedly Agree to 4-Year, $50 Million Contract Extension

The Phoenix Suns reached an agreement with TJ Warren on a four-year extension worth $50 million, ESPN.com's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Monday.

Warren is set to earn a little over $3.1 million this season, and he would've been eligible for restricted free agency before working out a new deal with the Suns.

Agreeing to extensions entering the final year of a player's rookie contract always carries some risk, but the Suns are smart to avoid a possible bidding war for Warren in the summer.

Wild things can happen during restricted free agency. Nobody expected Allen Crabbe to get a four-year, $75 million offer sheet from the Brooklyn Nets, and the Portland Trail Blazers famously forced the Oklahoma City Thunder's hand by giving Enes Kanter a four-year, $70 million max offer sheet.

And even leaving that aspect of Warren's extension, an average of $12.5 million annually is a sensible amount to pay for a player who emerged as a solid starting option in 2016-17. Warren averaged 14.4 points and 5.1 rebounds a game last season.

The 24-year-old has obvious flaws. A 31.5 percent shooter from beyond the arc in college, he made 26.5 percent of his attempts from three-point territory last year. The Suns also allowed 112.0 points per 100 possessions when Warren was on the court, compared to 106.3 points when he was off it, according to NBA.com.

There are also questions about where Warren fits into Phoenix's rotation since Devin Booker is the unquestioned starter at shooting guard and first-round draft pick Josh Jackson profiles as a small forward.

Still, cap space won't be an issue for the Suns next year, and Warren's contract shouldn't be so unwieldy as to preclude him from being a trade chip down the line should his future lay outside Phoenix.