Los Angeles (AP) Kawhi Leonard wanted to make sure that, rather than his future, the attention was on the Los Angeles Clippers’ quest for a first-ever NBA Finals appearance, given that they had assembled one of their strongest squads ever.
Therefore, on Wednesday, Leonard agreed to a $152.3 million, three-year contract extension.
The Associated Press was informed by a source with knowledge of the agreement about the deal’s value. The individual talked in anonymity because the financial details were kept confidential.
The moment has come to act. After contributing 29 points to the Clippers’ 126-120 victory over the Toronto Raptors, Leonard declared, “I’m happy.” “I’m only thinking about the here and now. During this season, I’m aiming to lead us to a location we haven’t been to.
In his twelfth NBA season, the two-time MVP of the Finals is averaging 24.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists. The 32-year-old forward has participated in 33 of 37 games thus far and has been in good health. After missing four games due to a hip ailment, he just made a comeback.
The team’s president of basketball operations, Lawrence Frank, stated that he was always certain that an extension would be negotiated.
It simply made sense on both counts. Frank remarked, “We had the same goal in mind. “We have long desired for Kawhi to be a clipper, and he too wants to be a clipper for a very long time.”
After guiding the Raptors to an NBA championship, Leonard inked a contract with the Clippers in the 2019 summer. He signed a four-year contract in 2021 with a base salary guarantee of $45,640,084 for the current season. He was in the third year of the agreement. For the next season, he had a $48,787,676 player option.
“Getting a top-tier player to re-sign speaks highly of your organization and the hard work they put in to get here. “This is a fantastic day for the company,” head coach Tyronn Lue exclaimed.
Leonard has won two Defensive Player of the Year awards and five All-Star selections. In 2014, he and San Antonio shared an NBA championship.
With a 24-13 record, the Clippers sit fourth in the West. Their 16-3 record since December 1st is the best in the league because James Harden, who was acquired from Philadelphia on November 1st, has gotten along well with the core group of Leonard, Paul George, and Russell Westbrook.
Harden and George, who moved in 2019 with Leonard, are also qualified for extensions. Frank stated that while negotiations with Harden cannot start until after the NBA Finals, those with George are still ongoing.
According to Lue, the presence of Harden has caused Leonard and George to run fewer pick-and-roll plays, which has lessened the strain on their bodies.
James has, in my opinion, also made it simpler for Paul and Kawhi to play off closeouts and have more catch-and-shoot 3-pointers. That has greatly benefited us, as Lue stated.
