Los Angeles Clippers: Chris Paul Expected to Re-Sign; Blake Griffin, J.J. Redick's Return Less Certain
It's another early offseason for the Los Angeles Clippers. The team was built to make a deep postseason run, but they have failed to achieve their goal year after year. Will their core players return after their latest failure? DeAndre Jordan is under contract through the 2018–19 season, but what about Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and J.J. Redick?
Teams can't formalize deals until the start of free agency on July 1, but Basketball Insiders' Steve Kyler has reported that Paul has already verbally agreed to re-sign with the Clippers this offseason. He also added that Griffin will re-sign as well without a hitch.
Meanwhile, ESPN's Kevin Arnovitz also said Paul is expected to re-sign with the team. However, he noted that Griffin's future with the team is still up in the air.
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"Sources close to the Clippers say that they expect Paul to re-sign with the Clippers. He'll be eligible for a five-year contract in excess of $200 million. Griffin's return is less certain, sources say," Arnovitz said in his piece about the Clippers.
Of course, the Clippers are going to do everything possible to bring Griffin back. But does he want to return?
What about Redick? Can they lure him back? Well, The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski has some interesting things to say about the shooting guard's situation.
"If Paul starts to take free-agent meetings on July 1 and the franchise needs free-agent guard JJ Redick to wait until Paul makes a decision before it can extend an offer, does Redick simply move on, accept an annual salary in the $17 million-to-$20 million range elsewhere before the salary-cap space dries up on the market?," Wojnarowski stated in his report.
That is certainly something to ponder.
Head coach/team president Doc Rivers has talked about his desire to keep the core together. That's their top priority this offseason. But can they really convince all three of them to come back?
