Los Angeles Clippers extended Kawhi Leonard’s contract today. Kawhi took a pay cut to sign a $152.4 million deal that keeps him with the Clippers till the 2026-27 season.
Good Morning, #ClipperNation 🖐️
We've signed Kawhi Leonard to a contract extension. pic.twitter.com/aBDJpHwEn0
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) January 10, 2024
Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard signed a new three-year, $152.4 million contract extension, keeping him under contract through the 2026-27 season, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Massive fully guaranteed, long-term commitment in LA. pic.twitter.com/FPGL2jdnvK
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 10, 2024
His previous contract was $176.26 million and was amongst the biggest contracts. The NBA veteran has been one of the top stars throughout his tenure in the NBA, but his past few seasons have been limited to 60 games because of injuries mainly.
Clippers president defends Kawhi Leonard; ecstatic over Kawhi’s extension
Clippers writer Tomer Azarly questioned franchise president Lawrence Frank about the massive 3-year extension of over $150 million despite the injury concerns over the years. Frank handled it with calm and composure as he answered “Anybody can get injured. Not everybody can be a top 5 player.”
Asked Lawrence Frank about committing a 3-year, $150M+ deal to Kawhi Leonard given the injury history:
“Anybody can get injured. Not everybody can be a top 5 player.”
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) January 11, 2024
Kawhi Leonard’s current contract is not close to the top contracts in the NBA, despite his reputation as a major star. Frank applauded Leonard for understanding the financial constraints of the Clippers and agreeing to a deal that was lower than his previous contract.
This highlights the mutual respect Frank has for Kawhi Leonard, a 2-time NBA Champion and 5-time All-Star, and the respect Kawhi has for Frank and the Clippers. Kawhi had his highest-scoring season in his first season with the Clippers where he averaged 27.1 points in the regular season. He had his top-scoring playoffs too with the Clippers as he averaged 28.2, 30.4, and 34.5 points per game in his 3 seasons with the franchise.
Clippers president was also quoted as saying “We wanted Kawhi to be a Clipper for a very long time, and Kawhi wants to be a Clipper for a very long time.”
Lawrence Frank: “We wanted Kawhi to be a Clipper for a very long time, and Kawhi wants to be a Clipper for a very long time.” pic.twitter.com/M6KErFpxS4
— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) January 11, 2024
Though Kawhi Leonard has been doubted for his availability, he has been one of the most consistent players in the NBA. He is also a great performer in the playoffs, with 2 Finals MVP acting as a testament to his ability to perform in clutch games.
This season, Kawhi Leonard has missed just 4 games and has averaged 23.8 points per game, 6.1 rebounds per game, and 3.4 assists per game. Adding to the impressive offensive statistics is his defensive ability. He’s known for his skills as a two-way player and also steals the ball smoothly from his opponents.
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