Chris Paul and the Los Angeles Clippers have verbally agreed upon a five-year, $107 million contract extension, according to reports.
Paul's agent Leon Rose confirmed with ESPNLosAngeles.com that Paul and the Clippers agreed to the new deal, and Paul tweeted out the following message: "I'm in. ClipperNation." The All-Star point guard cannot legally give Los Angeles his John Hancock on the new pact until July 10th, but at this point it is all systems go for Lob City.
The Clippers ability to secure Doc Rivers as the new head coach was reportedly the final factor in Paul's decision to remain with the team, as was the significant advantage of more money to offer. Bringing Rivers into the fold was no easy task, as multiple trade talks involving Rivers, and players Kevin Garnett (Celtics), DeAndre Jordan and Eric Bledsoe (Clippers) were thrown into the mix before league commissioner David Stern made clear their plans violated the collective bargaining agreement.
Paul was widely expected to stay in LA anyway, but the threat of the Atlanta Hawks and their ample cap space wooing the point guard and hometown center Dwight Howard loomed as a threat.
The signing of the 28-year-old Paul is the second big-money signing for Los Angeles other team in as many offseasons. Last year they inked power forward Blake Griffin, the chief recipient of Paul's precision alley-oop passes, received a five-year, $95 million contract.
Despite a sour ending in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs for the Clips, in which they went up 2-0 on the Memphis Grizzlies before collapsing and losing the next four games, 2012-2013 was a successful year.
The Clippers boasted the best regular season in franchise history, wrapping up a top-four seed. Individually, Paul averaged 16.9 points and 9.7 assists per game, to go with 2.4 steals per night on the defensive side.
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