Derrick Jones Jr. has 3-year, $30M cope with Clippers, supply says TERMAN WEBSITE

Hours after Paul George knowledgeable them that he was transferring on to a brand new staff, the LA Clippers agreed to a three-year, $30 million cope with Derrick Jones Jr., a league supply confirmed to ESPN.

With George’s departure, the Clippers wanted an athletic wing who can defend, they usually discovered it in Jones, who’s coming off his finest season as a professional with the Dallas Mavericks.

Jones began 66 video games and averaged a career-high 8.6 factors and 34.3% taking pictures from behind the 3-point arc final season whereas a key starter in serving to the Mavericks attain the NBA Finals. Jones and the Mavericks eradicated the Clippers in six video games within the first spherical of the playoffs.

The Clippers mentioned earlier Sunday that George had knowledgeable them he was planning to signal with one other staff in free company. The Philadelphia 76ers are thought-about robust front-runners, sources informed ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Clippers, who’ve taken a cautious and measured strategy towards roster constructing below the brand new collective bargaining settlement restrictions for tax-paying groups, would not give George a most extension of 4 years and $221 million in the course of the season.

The 6-foot-6 Jones, 27, will attempt to assist the Clippers exchange George, possible by committee. Jones is an athletic wing who can defend a number of positions. He ranked second in whole defensive half-court matchups in opposition to 2024 All-Stars this previous season, together with common season and playoffs, in response to analysis by ESPN Stats & Data.

Jones additionally may very well be a lob risk for James Harden. The Clippers and Harden agreed to a two-year, $70 million deal earlier Sunday, league sources informed ESPN.

Jones’ settlement with the Clippers was first reported by The Athletic.