Yahoo Sports Report: Paul George signs max contract extension with Clippers through 2024-25
Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul George has put his money where his mouth is.
A week after publicly declaring he wants to retire a Clipper, the six-time All-Star has signed a maximum contract extension with the team, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Previously carrying a player option to leave L.A. at the end of this season, George now stands to make $226 million through 2024-25.
That $37.9 million option for 2021-22 will be torn up in favor of a four-year extension worth roughly $190 million, per Wojnarowski. George will stay at his currently salary of $35.5 million this season. His new deal reportedly features a player option for the 2024-25 season, at the end of which he will turn 35 years old.
George has been a lightning rod for the Clippers. After they blew a 3-1 series lead to the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference finals, he claimed the preseason title favorites did not approach the season with a championship-or-bust mentality. Teammates publicly disagreed, and reports of their distaste for George’s preferential treatment as a star without championship pedigree were widespread during the offseason.
Much was expected from the Clippers after a 2019 coup that landed Kawhi Leonard in free agency and culminated in a blockbuster trade for George that mortgaged the team’s future for this title window. Falling short of expectations raised questions about the team’s future, especially with Leonard and George both capable of leaving next year, but the Clippers reportedly remain committed to making the partnership work.
George put his signature to that commitment. It remains to be seen whether Leonard will reciprocate.
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Ben Rohrbach is a staff writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at rohrbach_ben@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @brohrbach
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