Millions at stake for Duke basketball product next season

Former Duke basketball one-and-done and 2015 national champ Justise Winslow is 26 years old, meaning he should be entering his prime.

However, the 6-foot-6 chiseled forward, currently with the Portland Trail Blazers after stints with the Miami Heat, Memphis Grizzlies, and Los Angeles Clippers, is entering the final season of a two-year contract. And there's no guarantee he'll get another deal next summer.

In other words, as Adrian Bernecich of Blazer's Edge recently explained in his in-depth assessment of the Blue Devil's body of work and outlook, Winslow should have plenty of financial motivation in 2022-23:

"Winslow is in a contract year, which means he's playing for his next payday. And for a guy initially billed as a highly touted prospect — apparently the Boston Celtics were prepared to give up four potential first-rounders to snag him in 2015 — he's yet to earn any big time money."

Bernecich continued:

"Much of this is due to his injury history and every minute since the Heat traded him to the Grizzlies. Next season could be his best chance to re-kindle those early years and deliver on the promise he showed at Duke and the lottery selection that followed. Sure, he'll be coming off the bench, but he'll be given every opportunity to earn that next contract."

A glance at the Duke basketball product's career stats and earnings 

Across seven seasons in the league, Justise Winslow has played in 315 regular-season games, averaging 8.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 25.8 minutes per outing. While those numbers are respectable, his injury woes and lackluster 3-point shooting (31.5 percent for his career) have limited his contributions, especially in recent years.

Following his career-high 12.6 points per game for the 2018-19 Heat, Winslow's scoring average steadily declined from one year to the next. Last season, the Houston native averaged a career-low 5.7 points between his time with the Clippers and Blazers.

In 2018, Winslow signed a contract that ended up netting him $13 million per year in 2019-20 and 2020-21.

But his next contract, the two-year deal that expires after next season, was worth only a fraction of that amount at roughly $4 million per year, which isn't much more than what he raked in during his first few years as a pro.

Again, 2022-23 is pivotal for Justise Winslow's bank account.

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