Paul George signs massive extension with Clippers

The Los Angeles Clippers fell well short of expectations last season, but they are committed to keeping their core together.

Paul George signed a massive extension with the Clippers on Thursday that will pay him more than $200 million over the next five seasons, his agent told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. George was still under contract for $35.4 million for the 2020-21 season, so the extension will pay him $190 million more over the next four years.

George’s new deal includes a player option for the 2024-25 season.

The contract figures are not set in stone, as George has 10 years of service time and is thus eligible to be paid 35 percent of the salary cap. The salary cap is not expected to rise as much as it would have before the coronavirus pandemic due to decreased league revenue.

Kawhi Leonard is only under contract through the 2020-21 season with a player option for 2021-22, so it’s possible he could be next to sign an extension with L.A.

George cited team chemistry issues after the Clippers were bounced from Orlando earlier this year. He was recently critical of Doc Rivers for failing to make adjustments and not utilizing him properly.

While he has not performed well in the postseason, George remains one of the premier players in the NBA. The Clippers are hoping the 30-year-old’s best playoff games are ahead of him, particularly in elimination games.

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