NBA Free Agency 2013: Chris Paul Re-Signs With The Los Angeles Clippers

Chris Paul has verbally committed to return to the Los Angeles Clippers according to a Tweet he posted on his account early Monday afternoon.

"I'm in. #ClipperNation," Paul tweeted Monday, although he cannot sign a contract officially until July 10th but could come to a verbal agreement after the free agency period began 12:01 AM EST Monday morning.

Paul, a six-time NBA All-Star and 2006 Rookie of the Year, has agreed to a five-year, $107 million contract extension. Paul averaged 16.9 points, 9.7 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 2.4 steals for the Clippers last season, guiding the team to a 56-26 record but was bounced from the first round of the playoffs by the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Clippers' playoff elimination cost head coach Vinny Del Negro his job and Los Angeles replaced him with coach Doc Rivers, after trading their 2015 unprotected first-round draft pick to the Boston Celtics in exchange for the coach's services.

I'M IN!!! #CLIPPERNATION

— Chris Paul (@CP3) July 1, 2013

 

Rivers, who was also named senior vice president of basketball operations as well as head coach, made it his first priority to re-sign the point guard, saying that he was willing to camp outside Paul's home and make their pitch as soon as the free agency opened. Paul was not home, however, having attended the 2013 BET Music Awards.

The deal features a player option in the fourth year but pairs up the point guard with forward Blake Griffin, who signed a five-year, $95 million extension last summer, as the building blocks for the Clippers' future.