The Clippers made the free agency signing of forward Kawhi Leonard official and the trade for Paul George, two moves that place them as favorites for the NBA ring next season.
The Los Angeles team did not reveal the details of the contract of Kawhi, MVP of the last Final when leading the Toronto Raptors to the title against the Golden State Warriors (4-2), but ESPN and The Athletic reported that it is a connection for three years and $ 103.1 million, with a release clause for the player after the second season.
George, for his part, was traded by the Oklahoma City Thunder, and still has a three-year contract ahead of him, with an early departure also for the 2021-2022 season.
This is home. Welcome, @Yg_Trece! pic.twitter.com/sGvJGEu0ss
– LA Clippers (@LAClippers) July 10, 2019
The Thunder received 20-year-old Canadian guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Italian veteran Danilo Gallinari and a package of NBA Draft picks in exchange for George.
“This is a historic moment for our organization and for our fans,” said President of Operations Lawrence Frank.
โWe are grateful and honored that Kawhi Leonard decided to come home and join the LA Clippers. Having you on our side is a tremendous privilege and an incredible responsibility that we take very seriously. Their expectations, and ours, are to fight for titles, “he added.
๐๐๐๐พ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐@kawhileonard is officially a Clipper. pic.twitter.com/EuZ5Zaixy0
– LA Clippers (@LAClippers) July 10, 2019
Leonard, raised outside of Los Angeles, was one of the most desired free agents on the market, negotiating with the Raptors, Lakers and Clippers before making a decision about where to play next season.
The forward had joined Toronto from San Antonio in July 2018 after forcing a transfer from the Spurs, with whom he had one year left on his contract and had already won an NBA title in 2014. AFP