San Antonio Spurs keep Patty Mills with $50M contract

July 1 (UPI) -- Point guard Patty Mills is staying in Texas after agreeing to a new contract Saturday with the San Antonio Spurs.

Mills' new deal is for four years and $50 million, according to ESPN. The Australian playmaker has proved himself to be a great depth piece for Gregg Popovich's squad. He averaged 9.5 points and a career-best 3.5 assists per game in 2016. Mills, 28, also severed as a stand-in for veteran Tony Parker. He started a career-high eight games last season for the Spurs.

Mills was the No. 55 overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft out of Saint Mary's College. He played two seasons for the Portland Trail Blazers before joining the Spurs in 2011 as a free agent. Mills won an NBA title in 2014 with the franchise.

The knockdown 3-point shooter made 41.4 percent of his attempts this season. The Spurs could still go after an additional point guard, despite the Mills signing.

Parker underwent surgery in May to repair a ruptured left quadriceps. He will likely miss the beginning of the season. He told L'Qupie that he plans to return to the court in January.

Parker suffered the injury on May 3. Second-year floor general Dejounte Murray is expected to begin the season as the Spurs' starting point guard.

Murray is pushing for veteran guard Manu Ginobili to return in 2017. This week he took to Instagram to make his plea.

"I Learned So Much From @manuginobili This Season, Thanks For Everything MANUUUU, But Give Us 1 More Year Grandpa," Murray wrote.

ESPN reported in June that Murray is working out with Kawhi Leonard this summer in San Diego.