**Derrick Jones Jr. Signs 3-Year, $30M Deal with Clippers**
Just hours after Paul George announced his move to a new team, the LA Clippers secured Derrick Jones Jr. on a three-year, $30 million contract, as confirmed by a league source to ESPN.
With George leaving, the Clippers needed an athletic wing defender and found that in Jones, who had his best season with the Dallas Mavericks. Jones started 66 games, averaging a career-high 8.6 points and shooting 34.3% from three-point range. He played a crucial role in the Mavericks’ run to the NBA Finals, where they eliminated the Clippers in the first round of the playoffs.
Paul George informed the Clippers earlier that he intended to sign elsewhere, with the Philadelphia 76ers emerging as strong contenders, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The Clippers, adhering to the new collective bargaining agreement rules for tax-paying teams, did not offer George a four-year, $221 million maximum extension.
Jones, 27, is expected to help fill the void left by George, contributing with his athleticism and defensive versatility. He ranked second in total defensive half-court matchups against 2024 All-Stars, per ESPN Stats & Information.
Additionally, Jones could become a lob target for James Harden, who also agreed to a two-year, $70 million deal with the Clippers earlier that day, according to league sources.
The Athletic first reported Jones’ agreement with the Clippers.
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