Lawrence Frank says he never doubted that the Los Angeles Clippers would agree to a contract extension with Kawhi Leonard.
With it seemingly unavoidable, there was no better day to make it official than Wednesday.
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ESPN reports that the two-time NBA Finals MVP signed a three-year deal extension worth $153 million.
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Coincidentally, the transaction was announced as the Clippers faced the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night. Leonard led the Raptors to the NBA championship in 2019 and received his second finals MVP award before joining the Clippers that offseason.
Leonard was on the third year of a four-year contract he signed in 2021, with a base salary of $45,640,084 this season. He has a player option for the next season worth $48,787,676.
“It made sense from both perspectives. “We both wanted the same thing,” said Frank, the Clippers’ president. “We wanted Kawhi to be a Clipper for a long time and Kawhi wants to be a Clipper for a long time.”
This season, Leonard has averaged 23.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. The 32-year-old forward has been in terrific health throughout his 12th NBA season, appearing in 32 of 36 games thus far. He recently returned to play after missing four games due to a hip ailment.
“When you can get a top-tier athlete to sign back, it speaks volumes about your company and the effort put in to get to this point. “It’s a fantastic day for the organization,” coach Tyronn Lue said.
Leonard had five All-Star appearances and was named Defensive Player of the Year twice. He also won an NBA championship and was named NBA Finals MVP with San Antonio in 2014.
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The Clippers were fourth in the West before into Wednesday’s game, with a 23-13 record. Their 15-3 record since December 1 is the best in the league, as the nucleus of Leonard, Paul George, and Russell Westbrook has gelled with James Harden, who was acquired in a deal with Philadelphia on November 1 trade with philadelphia.
George, who joined Leonard in 2019, and Harden are both candidates for extensions. Frank stated that conversations with George are still underway, but discussions with Harden cannot begin until after the NBA Finals.
Lue stated that the arrival of Harden has resulted in Leonard and George running less pick-and-roll plays, which has helped reduce the amount of wear and tear on their bodies.
“I believe James has also made it easier for Kawhi and Paul to take more catch-and-shoot 3-pointers and play off closeouts. “That’s been fantastic for us,” Lue added.
