Erik Spoelstra has been the head coach of the Miami Heat since 2008, making him the longest-tenured coach in the team’s history and second-longest in the NBA behind Greg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs.
Tuesday night, the Heat and Spoelstra reportedly agreed on an extension that will keep the 53-year-old as head coach through this decade and into the 2030s.
The Associated Press had the news first Tuesday evening, divulging that the extension is for eight years and a staggering $120 million, making it the largest contract in NBA history for a coach, a record previously held by Detroit Pistons head coach Monty Williams who signed a six-year $78.5 million contract in July of 2023 that could become eight years and $100 million if Williams meets certain incentives.
In Spoelstera’s 15 seasons in Miami, the team has finished over .500 13 times and made the playoffs 12 times. He’s coached Miami to two NBA Championships and has coached the team to six NBA Finals, most recently last season when Miami fell to the Denver Nuggets in five games. He is just one of 20 coaches in NBA history to win more than 700 career games and joins Popovich and Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle as the only two active coaches on the list.
In 2021 as part of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary celebration, Spoelstera was named one of the 15 best head coaches in NBA history.
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