Phoenix Suns sign T.J. Warren to four-year extension

One day after signing 2013 draftee Alex Len to a qualifying offer for the 2017-18 season, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the Phoenix Suns have agreed to an extension with forward T.J. Warren.

The team had until October 31 to complete an extension, as Warren headed into the fourth and final year of his rookie contract. The deal will pay him $50 million over the next four seasons.

He has increased his overall impact on the game each year in the league, though a -0.3 Box Plus-Minus will give some the impression that he is still a work in progress. The Suns, however, continue to see Warren as a versatile piece of their long-term core — someone who can play multiple positions on both sides of the ball.

After a trade sent longtime Sun P.J. Tucker to Toronto at last year’s trade deadline in part to open up a larger role for Warren as he returned from injury, the N.C. State alum improved dramatically. The organization will hope that he can find a way to contribute next to players like Devin Booker and Josh Jackson, two other wings who also figure to a be a part of Phoenix’s future.

Warren’s new contract will take him through the summer of 2022, and leaves open the Suns’ five-year contract slots.

This, along with Alex Len’s situation, was the first decision along the Suns’ financial timeline; Warren has apparently shown the organization enough to stick around and earn up to his value.