West's pact worth $45 million
Hornets: Player option could end deal early
Hornets star forward beats NBA signing deadline by a day, signs a five-year contract

David West looked a group of reporters square in their eyes Monday afternoon and, with a stone cold straight face, alleged that his impending multi-million dollar contract extension with the Hornets was no big deal.

Three hours later, West was joined by team officials on a conference call to announce just how big of a deal it actually is.

West signed a multi-year contract extension with the Hornets on Monday afternoon, one day before the league-imposed deadline that would have made him a restricted free agent if an agreement was not reached. Per team policy, the Hornets did not release terms of the contract, but a league source said the deal is worth approximately $45 million over five years starting with the 2007-08 season. West is scheduled to make just more than $2 million this season, the final year of his original rookie contract.

West, the team's 6-foot-9 power forward, has a player option in the contract that allows him to get out of his new deal after the 2010-11 season. It's a measure that gives the 26-year-old West an opportunity to sign another lucrative deal at a time when most players are entering the prime of their careers.

"We're excited to be at this point today and have David with us," Hornets general manager Jeff Bower said. "Everybody's aware of the improvement that he's shown, particularly last year, and the type of player that he is and how he fits with all of our other players right now."

The signing of West, who led the team in scoring and rebounding last year, assures the Hornets will have point guard