The victory of the Clippers is not the only special news for the team; it is also the news of Kawhi Leonard signing a three-year contract extension with the Clippers on Wednesday, which is worth $152.3 million. The Clippers marked their 16th win out of 19 games on Wednesday since December 1.
“It just made sense from both sides.” It was something both sides agreed to, and that’s what made it go smoothly, along with a win. Kawhi had signed deals with the Clippers in 2019 offscreen and extended the contract during his third of the four-year contract in 2021, which got him a base salary of $45,640,084.
Kawhi Leonard has extended his contract with the Clippers.
On Wednesday, Leonard signed a 3-year contract extension with the Clippers worth $152.3 million. The value of the deal was confirmed to the associated press by a person who was involved in the agreement. He is one of the best rosters ever that the Clippers had, whose main focus was to make sure to make the quest of creating a franchise hosted with his first appearance in the NBA finals and his future.
Leonard had scored 29 points in the Clippers 126-120 victory over the Toronto Raptors, after which he said, “It was time to do it. I am happy.” According to Leonardo, he is just focused on the ‘right now’ moment as he is in between seasons, and his first priority is to get the team to a place where they haven’t been before.
Based on Kawhi Leonard’s career record, he holds the title for NBA Finals MVP two times and has played 33 of 37 games so far with an average of 24.0 points, 0.6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in his 12th NBA season. After missing four games due to his hip injury, he had to take a setback and has recently returned. From where he is standing now, he looks like a 32-year-old player focused on attaining more success in his career.
The team’s president of basketball operations, Lawrence Frank, said, “It just made sense from both sides. We both wanted the same thing.” Frank was always confident, as he mentioned that there was never a doubt in his mind that this extension would not be reached.
Frank also mentioned that for a long time, they’ve wanted Kawhi to be a Clipper, and Kawhi also had a desire to be a Clipper. The vote of agreement from both parties led to the smooth function of the extension, as both parties got what they wanted.
The first time Leonard signed with the Clippers was during the 2019 offseason after he had led the Raptors to an NBA title. The recent update on his tension deal was followed by a 4-year deal that he signed in 2021, which called for him to earn $45,640,084 as a base salary this season. The player option for his next season was $48,787,676.
A player sticking around to a team for such a long period of time is, of course, a matter of the goodwill of the team as well. Coach Tyronn Lue said, “When you get a top-tier player to sign back, it says a lot about your organization.” This is true as it shows how the organization is and the work that they put together to be in this position.
He also said that “it is a great day for the organization” as they had extended their contract with their top-tier player along with a victory for the team. Along with winning the NBA title with Antonio in 2014, Leonard is also a five-time all-star and two-time clear of the year.
The Clippers’ president of basketball operations, Lawrence Frank, said, “We’re thrilled to continue our relationship with Kawhi. He is an elite player, a terrific partner, and a relentless worker who knows how to win and makes it his first priority,” he said in a statement.
The team feels fortunate that Kawhi made the decision to join the Clippers five years ago and is excited to have him further on the team. As they mentioned, “He elevated our franchise from the moment he arrived.”
