The San Antonio Spurs have picked up the fourth-year club options of point guard Dejounte Murray and Jakob Poeltl, the team announced Thursday. The Spurs also announced they have picked up the third-year option of Derrick White.
Murray will make $1.54 million this season and $2.32 million in the 2019-20 season. He'll become a restricted free agent in 2020 if the Spurs don't sign him to a rookie scale extension next summer.
Murray played in 81 games last season for the Spurs. The 22-year-old averaged 8.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 44.3 percent from the floor, 26.5 percent from beyond the arc and 70.9 percent from the free-throw line.
With Tony Parker now with the Charlotte Hornets, Murray will be the full-time starter for the Spurs at the point guard position. The Seattle native averaged 10.1 points last season as a starter. Murray started 48 games in 2017-18 and is looking to take more of a leadership role this year with Parker and Manu Ginobili gone.
“I’m a guy that’s willing to speak how I feel, and that plays a big role in being a leader,” Murray told Jabari Young of The Athletic. “I’m willing to lead.”
Murray made the second-team All-Defensive squad last season. At 6-foot-5, he's one of the tallest and lengthiest players at the point guard position and is able to use his size to cause havoc.
Poeltl came over from the Toronto Raptors as part of the blockbuster Kawhi Leonard-DeMar DeRozan deal. Poeltl established himself as a key member of the Raptors' bench last season, notching 6.9 points and 4.8 rebounds in 18.6 minutes per game. The big man will make nearly $2.95 million this year and $3.75 in 2019-20.
White played sparingly in his rookie season, but he may see an increased opportunity in Year 2. He appeared in just 17 games last year. The youngster is set to make $1.67 million this year and $1.95 million on his third-year option, with a potential bump up to $3.52 million for the fourth-year option.
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