Free agent forward Kawhi Leonard will re-sign with the Los Angeles Clippers, though financial terms and length of the contract were still being worked out, Yahoo Sports reported Friday.
The news comes less than a week after Leonard declined his player option, worth $36 million, for next season. He had been expected to negotiate a new deal to remain with the Clippers.
Leonard, 30, joined the Clippers two years ago following a high-stakes free agency period that saw multiple teams courting him.
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The two-time NBA Finals MVP (2014, 2019) and two-time Defensive Player of the Year (2015, 2016) is a Southern California native who chose the Clippers in 2019 over the Los Angeles Lakers and Toronto Raptors.
In two seasons with Los Angeles and Paul George at his side, the Clippers reached the Western Conference semifinals but no further. The Clippers lost to the Phoenix Suns in the conference semis in 2021, with Leonard sidelined for the entire series with a knee injury.
Leonard underwent surgery on a partially torn ACL in his right knee on July 13, and there is no timetable for his return. He could miss a substantial portion of the 2021-22 season.
In 52 regular-season games in 2020-21, Leonard averaged 24.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.6 steals per contest. He was named to the All-NBA First Team for the third time of his career.
Point guard Reggie Jackson also is returning to the Los Angeles Clippers on a two-year, $22 million deal, his agents confirmed to ESPN on Friday.
Jackson, 31, was a key contributor and averaged 10.7 points, 3.1 assists and 2.9 rebounds in 23 minutes per game in his first full season with the Clippers. He appeared in 67 games, starting 43, and shot 43.3 percent from 3-point range.
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Oklahoma City selected Jackson with the No. 24 overall pick of the 2011 NBA Draft. He has averaged 12.6 points and 4.2 assists over 628 career games with the Thunder (2011-15), Detroit Pistons (2015-20) and Clippers.
The Clippers also reportedly agreed to terms on a two-year deal with guard/forward Justise Winslow, ESPN reported Friday.
The No. 10 overall pick in 2015 out of Duke, Winslow has career averages of 8.8 points and 5.3 rebounds in 267 games (105 starts) for the Miami Heat (2015-20) and Memphis Grizzlies (2020-21). He became a free agent when the Grizzlies declined his team option following his lone campaign in Memphis.
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