The LA Clippers have officially secured Kawhi Leonard for another three seasons moving forward. The three-year, $152.4 million deal Leonard will sign keeps him with the Clippers through the 2026-27 season.
This is of course a huge move for the franchise that will allow them to bring a contending team to their new home arena next season at Intuit Dome. It will likely keep them in the mix for a championship during that time as well.
The extension announcement came late Wednesday morning ahead of the Clippers' home game against the Raptors that night. As such, members of the media had a chance to discuss the new deal with Kawhi that evening.
As far as Leonard's reaction to his huge new extension, it was about as on-brand as possible. When asked about why he chose to sign right now, Kawhi expressed that he didn't really know. "It was time, I guess," Leonard said. "There's nothing really to pinpoint. It was time to do it and it just happened."
Why did Kawhi Leonard sign a contract extension at this particular time?
— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) January 11, 2024
Kawhi: “I don’t know. It was time, I guess. There’s nothing really to pinpoint. It was time to do it and it just happened.” pic.twitter.com/sP6Sa7nTnC
Many will chalk up Kawhi's reaction to him just being the way that he is. A man of few words, Leonard has never been one to over-dramatize any situation or bring attention to himself, even in a moment like this.
Though he may not want to divulge his exact reasoning, Kawhi certainly made his decision of when to sign with some sort of precision. The Clippers are on a major hot streak right now and look like one of the best teams in the NBA. If there were ever a time to sign an extension, this was it.
Any questions about the team's direction when it comes to winning have been answered decisively in the last two months since LA's losing streak ended. Leonard may not show it outwardly, but he has to be thrilled to be in this position.