Report: Clippers in 'No Rush' to Extend Kawhi Leonard
LA Clippers star Kawhi Leonard is eligible for a contract extension, but according to ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk, the team is in "no rush" to extend their superstar forward right now. Speaking with Zach Lowe on The Lowe Post Podcast, Youngmisuk said, "I hear it's kind of quiet right now. There is no rush on an extension for Kawhi Leonard, and then Paul George will be eligible in September."
This approach makes sense for the Clippers, because serious questions exist about the availability of both Leonard and George - especially as the two star forwards get older. Throwing a max extension at both players prior to this season could be shortsighted, especially with reports surfacing earlier this summer about team's potential hesitancy to deal for George because of his desire to sign a max extension.
As Youngmisuk added in his report, the NBA's new CBA can be very difficult to navigate for teams with multiple max-level contracts on their roster. If the Clippers can extend Leonard and George for less than the max, that would be optimal, but it's also not something the two stars would likely be open to accepting immediately upon becoming eligible for an extension.
All of the aforementioned factors explain why the Clippers are not in a rush to extend Leonard, and likely George once he becomes eligible. This does not mean LA doesn't plan to extend their two stars, but they aren't in a rush to offer them max deals.
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