Compensation for contract termination

Baskonia has reportedly agreed to pay former player Markus Howard around €2 million in compensation after ending his contract, according to reports from Spanish media and relayed by BasketNews and Basketball Sphere.

Contract details and timeline

Howard's move to Zenith Saint-Petersburg was officially announced on October 14, 2026, with the financial terms of the separation revealed on October 20. His original contract with Baskonia was set to last until June 2028, with an expected net salary of around €2 million for the 2026-2027 season and a slightly higher amount for the following season.

Deferred payment arrangement

Baskonia has confirmed that an agreement was reached with Howard to end their collaboration, but has not disclosed the financial details of the separation. Howard has reportedly accepted a deferred payment arrangement to facilitate the termination of his contract.

New contract with Zenith Saint-Petersburg

In joining Zenith Saint-Petersburg, Howard has accepted a significant reduction in his annual salary, reportedly earning around €1 million per season with the Russian club. His contract with Zenith Saint-Petersburg is set to last until 2028, and he will rejoin former coach Duško Ivanović, under whom he had his best statistical season in the EuroLeague in 2023-2024.

Performance decline and career history

However, Howard's playing time had decreased significantly in recent seasons, with his average scoring dropping to 4.7 points per game in the EuroLeague during the 2026-2027 season before his departure. He joined Baskonia in the summer of 2022 after his stint with the Denver Nuggets and played 244 official matches for the club, including 130 in the EuroLeague and 109 in the Liga Endesa.

Impact on Baskonia

The separation comes after four seasons with Baskonia, during which Howard's sporting status had significantly changed. The reported agreement would allow the Basque club to end a salary commitment that was set to last for nearly two more seasons, but at the cost of a €2 million compensation payment. If the reported figures are confirmed, this departure would illustrate the cost of terminating a contract with a particularly well-paid player, even when his sporting role has diminished.