Gators basketball HC Todd Golden’s new contract extension has unique clause that could impact his future in Florida
The Florida Gators just gave head basketball coach Todd Golden a new contract extension with an interesting clause.
The Florida Gators basketball program is in good hands, and now the future is even more set in stone. They extended head coach Todd Golden on Friday, locking him down for six years.
It’s an extension that many saw coming, especially with the job that Golden has done during his short tenure. There was serious interest from the NBA this offseason, and that is likely to continue.
Todd Golden has unique clause in contract extension
With the NBA interest, there will likely be more of it coming down the line. That’s where the Gators got creative with the six-year, $49.5 million contract extension. According to Swamp 247’s Graham Hall, there is a unique aspect of his buyout. If, for some reason, athletic director Scott Stricklin leaves during his contract, his buyout will drop from $16 million to $13 million over the next two seasons, then to $5 million. Plus, his NBA buyout will drop to zero for the remainder of the contract. The NBA buyout is much smaller, starting at $3 million and dropping to $1 million in 2029-2030.
Within the world of contract extensions, the total value rarely matters. They are given out regularly to keep coaches with the program. The same goes for Golden, who signed his third extension in three years. Even so, you don’t look at the term or dollar amount. The buyout is what matters most.
With Golden’s buyout having significant drop-offs based on Stricklin being with the program or not, it raises a lot of intrigue. We know the university has a new president, and that could impact his future. If for some reason Stricklin ends up moving on from the program, all bets are off with Golden’s future.
This isn’t a nothing burger, but it could impact the team in a negative way.
