Paul George projects to spend the next few seasons of his NBA career as a member of the L.A. Clippers, as the 30-year-old wing inked a four-year contract extension that will guarantee him more than $200 million over the next five seasons. Given that George was on track to reach free agency after the 2020-21 season, this was a mutually beneficial agreement, as George locked in the increased financial security and the Clippers avoided a situation in which both George and Kawhi Leonard were hitting the market at the same time.
While platitudes are expected to accompany any announcement of this magnitude, George provided a reminder that it has been a dream of his to play in Los Angeles, which is also something that drew him to ask for a trade to the Clippers before the 2019-20 campaign.
“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 as part of the Clippers’ official announcement of the extension. “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.”
However, George took things a step further in speaking to the media after word of the extension broke. In fact, he said on the record that he “owes” the organization a championship trophy.
Paul George: “I owe them a trophy. That’s what I owe this organization.”
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) December 10, 2020
Of course, this is another thing that athletes say all the time, but George did make no bones about declaring his intentions on this one. To back up on the team side, Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank issued a statement that includes the potential to “accomplish our mutual goals” between the organization and George.
“This is 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,” said Frank. “We aspire to create a destination for players, an environment where they can succeed and enjoy their success. We’re delighted by Paul’s pride in representing Clippers fans, honored that he trusts the organization with this chapter of his career, and share in his relentless pursuit of championships. We admire his talent, his dedication and his unwavering allegiance to this region. We’re excited for the opportunity to accomplish our mutual goals together.”
It remains to be seen as to whether this contract will be an overpay for George, especially since he is already reaching his 30’s before the extension begins. That, coupled with his playoff struggles, prompted some overreactions to the deal on the negative side and, in truth, the Clippers are very much betting that George will bounce back to the pre-bubble form that made him the third-place finisher in the 2018-19 MVP voting. Regardless, the Clippers now have the security of a star on the roster and, if nothing else, that could prove vital in the organization’s attempt to keep Leonard in the near future.
