A week after saying he wanted to retire as a Clipper, forward Paul George has signed a four-year contract extension with the aim of staying with the franchise for the long term.
Under the extension, which includes a player option for the final season in 2024-25, George can earn up to $226 million over the next five years, two people with knowledge of the deal confirmed.
George could have become a free agent this summer by declining his player option for the 2021-22 season but decided against testing that market months ahead of time, a move he signaled he was interested in making last week when he declared the Clippers his home.
“As a kid growing up in Southern California, I always dreamed of playing in Los Angeles, where my friends and family could come watch me play,” George said in a team release. “I am so grateful to Steve Ballmer, Lawrence Frank, coach Ty Lue, my teammates, and the entire Clippers organization for believing in me. I am proud to call this my home and look forward to doing my part in helping make the team a tremendous success – both on and off the court – in the years ahead.”
Frank, the team’s president of basketball operations, called it “an important moment for our franchise and our fans, to secure a long-term commitment from one of the premier two-way players in the NBA.”
The Clippers open their preseason schedule Friday against the Lakers at Staples Center.
