Report: Clippers expected to ‘eventually’ pay up, give Paul George new contract

L.A. Clippers forward Paul George.

It’s now pushing close to three months since Kawhi Leonard signed a three-year, $153 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Clippers.

The widely expected belief was that following Leonard’s new deal, another contract extension would be on the horizon to keep him and fellow star Paul George in Los Angeles.

But as we approach the 2024 NBA playoffs and the offseason slowly draws near, George remains without a new deal — something that’s remained an enigma.

While George has a player option for the 2024-25 season worth just over $48.78 million, he also could opt for free agency and become one of the biggest names on the open market.

According to the latest report from Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus, though, the belief around the league is that it won’t reach that point. As Pincus reports, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is expected to eventually give George an extension.

“Many sources around the league think Clippers governor Steve Ballmer will eventually decide to pay up. The nuance may be in the number of years,” Pincus writes.

It’s unknown how close a potential extension for George would be to Leonard’s, but the report seems to suggest that the two sides are apart on the length of the forward’s deal.

It would make sense to align his extension with Leonard’s, but there’s nothing to signal that this will ultimately be the case. George is just one year older than his counterpart but has played 165 more games than Leonard during the regular season of his career (858 to 693).

While the Clippers appear likely to reach a new deal with George, Pincus also reports that the Philadelphia 76ers have George “at the top of their wish list” and will likely make him a significant offer if he hits free agency.

In turn, if the Clippers want to ensure they keep their core together for the foreseeable future, reaching a new deal with George sooner than later would likely be wise.

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