NBA Rumors: Kawhi Leonard, Paul George might not get extensions from LA Clippers
Kawhi Leonard and Paul George of the LA Clippers are eligible for max contract extensions this year. However, the latest NBA rumors suggest that the Clippers might not be open to discussing it with their two superstars at the moment.
According to ESPN's Zach Lowe, Leonard can sign a four-year extension this July and George can do the same in September. However, the Clippers are holding off any negotiations at the moment. Both players, mainly George, have been linked to trade rumors ever since the end of the NBA Finals.
"The biggest subplot in the NBA that not enough people are talking about is Paul George and Kawhi Leonard with the Clippers, being extension eligible," Lowe said on The Lowe Post podcast. "In Kawhi's case in July. I think in Paul George's case in September. Because I just don't think, based on what I've heard, that if those guys walk in the door and ask for four-year max extensions, I don't think the Clippers are just giving them to them." (h/t Bleacher Report)
Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have been great for the LA Clippers when healthy. The Clippers made it to their first Western Conference finals in 2021 with both players on their roster.
However, injuries have been a big issue for both players ever since they joined together in 2019. The Clippers were primed to win the NBA championship inside the bubble a year later but blew a 3-1 lead to the Denver Nuggets in the second round.
Since then, Leonard and George have not been healthy together for a lengthy postseason run. Leonard suffered a knee injury in the 2021 NBA playoffs, leaving George alone to fend off the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference finals.
The Clippers missed the 2022 playoffs with Leonard and George out due to injuries. Both were healthy enough this season to push the Clippers to the fifth seed. However, George suffered a knee injury weeks before the end of the regular season.
Leonard followed suit with his own knee injury in Game 1 of the first round against the Suns. He played through the injury in Game 2 but was ruled out for the rest of the playoffs.
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LA Clippers waive Eric Gordon to save money
The LA Clippers have waived Eric Gordon ahead of the June 28 deadline that would have guaranteed his $21 million contract next season. Gordon will now enter free agency and there's gonna be some suitors for the veteran sharpshooter.
According to Bobby Marks of ESPN, the Clippers saved a lot of money by releasing Gordon. The Clippers' luxury tax bill went down from $169 million to $59 million, saving $110 million.
The waiver will drop the Clippers projected tax bill from $169M to $59M.
LA is $18M over the $165M tax threshold. twitter.com/wojespn/status…
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