Alabama trustees formally approve Nate Oats’ 5-year deal

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — New Alabama basketball coach Nate Oats’ contract includes hefty buyouts if he leaves for another job or is fired.

University of Alabama trustees Wednesday formally approved Oats’ 5-year deal worth $2.45 million annually, though the university had earlier released some of the details.

Alabama would owe Oats $9,187,500 if he’s fired without cause — such as for personal conduct or NCAA violations — by March 14, 2020. The buyout would go down to $7.35 million the following year and decrease each year.

Oats would owe Alabama $8 million if he left for another job before that date. That number goes down $2 million annually until the final year when he would owe $1 million.

Assistant coach Antoine Pettway, the only holdover on Oats’ staff, will make $325,000 annually under a two-year deal, a raise of nearly $45,000.