The Clippers have begun preparing for the eventual loss of Paul George.
Los Angeles signed forward Derrick Jones Jr. to a three-year, $30 million contract, the Athletic’s Shams Charania reported Sunday.
Jones Jr., 27, was a key part of the Dallas Mavericks’ run to the NBA Finals, giving the team a steady presence as a 3-and-D wing.
He averaged a career-high 8.6 points last season and added 3.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals-plus-blocks per game for Dallas. He also hit 34.3 per cent of his 3-pointers, with the majority of them coming from the corners.
It’s been a turbulent day for the Clippers, as reports have stated that George, a six-time All-NBA player, would not be returning to the team as they look to move to their new arena in Inglewood, Calif. next season. The wing opted out of his player option for 2024-25 and is currently being linked to the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency.
They did however re-sign point guard James Harden to a two-year, $70 million contract and have superstar Kawhi Leonard locked up for the next three years after he signed an extension mid-season.
Meanwhile, Dallas appeared prepared to lose Jones Jr. in the open market as they reportedly signed forward Naji Marshall on a three-year, $27 million deal earlier in the day.