Lou Williams doesn’t have to worry about where he’ll be playing for the foreseeable future, it seems.
Williams, whose name has been tossed about in trade talks over the last several weeks, has reached a contract extension with the LA Clippers. Per Yahoo Sports’ Shams Charania, Williams has agreed to a three-year deal with the Clippers.
Los Angeles Clippers guard Lou Williams has agreed to a three-year contract extension, league sources tell Yahoo.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 7, 2018
Sources: Clippers’ Lou Williams signed a three-year, $24 million extension, with $1.5M partial guarantee in year three. With this season included: four years, $31M. https://t.co/aWWHnAluQV
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 7, 2018
Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune reports the Clippers and Williams are expected to finalize their deal before today’s practice.
The clippers plan to finalize Lou Williams' contract extension today before practice, league sources tell the Salt Lake Tribune
— Eric Walden (@tribjazz) February 7, 2018
TNT analyst David Aldridge reports via Twitter that Williams was looking for stability after playing for three teams since the start of the 2015-16 season (Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets and Clippers).
For @TeamLou23, staying in one place after bouncing from the Lakers to Houston to the Clips in the last year was more important than chasing more potential Bucks this summer in Philly, Phoenix or other spots. Three years, partial guarantee on third to stay with LAC.
— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) February 7, 2018
Earlier Tuesday, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported that the Clippers and Williams were hammering out the contract.
Congrats to my dog @TeamLou23! You truly deserve it man…btw, I know who’s got dinner tonight! #mediumstotle
— DeAndre Jordan 🐺 (@DeAndre) February 7, 2018
The guard is averaging a career-best 23.3 points per game and has helped keep the Clippers in the playoff race throughout injuries and the recent Blake Griffin trade. Per Wojnarowski, the fact that Williams is coming off the trade market may intensify the interest other teams have in acquiring Memphis Grizzlies guard Tyreke Evans:
Rival teams were increasingly resigned late Tuesday night that Williams, 31, was exiting the trade market and returning to the Clippers on a multiyear contract, league sources said.
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Because of Williams’ stature as one of the most pursued players on the trade market, his looming commitment to remain with the Clippers could serve as an impetus to get a sluggish trade deadline into gear on Wednesday.
Losing Williams off the trade market will likely intensify the pursuit for Memphis Grizzlies guard Tyreke Evans, whom several teams have been separately pursuing. Memphis is trying to get a first-round pick for Evans, and Boston, Denver and Philadelphia are among the teams most interested in acquiring Evans.
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