words // Nick DePaula:
After beginning his career with Nike, New Yorks Knicks phenom and sneaker free agent Kristaps Porzingis has signed a new multi-year shoe deal with adidas, according to multiple sources.
The new deal will pay him anywhere between $3- and $6-Million per year, depending on various incentive bonuses that he’s able to achieve through his on-court play. There’s no guaranteed signature shoe language in the deal, with a Porzingis signature shoe triggered only by incentives like being named an All-Star Game starter.
Nike typically owns a “match clause” on their endorsement deals, and reserves the right to fully match the adidas contract and retain Porzingis, with a mid-October deadline looming soon. However, they’re not expected to match the deal.
Porzingis prefers wearing mobile high-tops, and after playing in the Kobe X Elite for all of his rookie season, it’s expected that he would wear the new Crazy Explosive model should he be joining adidas later this month.
Stay tuned, as more developments are on the way during Nike’s match window.
