Clippers exercise team option on young rotational forward

One week of the 2024-25 season has gone by, and the LA Clippers have surprised a lot of people. Tabbed by many as a sure fire bet to miss the playoffs due to roster changes and strong competition in the Western Conference, the Clippers have come out of the gate firing on all cylinders, defeating two expected West playoff teams and barely taking a loss to another.

James Harden has been consistently productive, putting up two double-doubles and averaging 11.7 assists through three games. He is looking like a potent engine for this team, and his play has raised expectations for the Clippers in a short amount of time.

We also now know more about what the roles will look like for several of LA's players further down the bench. One of those guys got some pretty big news recently. On Monday, The Athletic's Law Murray reported that the Clippers had officially exercised the third-year option for Kobe Brown.

Taken with the 30th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft by LA, Brown will officially be with the team through at least the end of the 2025-26 season. His rookie contract signed in the summer of 2023 was a four-year, $12.3 million dollar one that included club options for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons.

The Clippers exercised Kobe Brown's third-year option

After making $2.4 million last season as a rookie, Kobe will now earn $2.5 million in the current season before that number goes up to $2.6 million next year. If he performs well enough to earn the team picking up the option for his fourth year, he will see a big spike in pay and earn $4.7 million in the 2026-27 season.

Whether that outcome ends up happening is still to be determined. Brown has shown some solid flashes as a big 250-pound, 6-foot-7 wing. But after playing in 44 contests as a rookie, he only managed to get on the floor for 9.0 minutes per game while averaging 2.0 points and shooting 41%.

The potential for him to become a legitimate difference-maker is there with his size and defensive ability. As for now, the Clippers have made it clear that they view him as a viable option for the current season. On a roster with so many unproven players, the opportunity to prove himself is there for Brown.