Bob Kravitz of WTHR reported Friday that Paul George and the Indiana Pacers had started talks regarding a contract extension, but “nothing extensive.”
George, who’s currently getting set to represent the United States in the Olympics, signed a five-year max deal back in 2014 and is slated to earn $18.3 million this upcoming year. What makes these talks a tad unusual is that PG-13 isn’t able to test free agency until after the 2017-18 season; the fifth year of his deal is a player option.
Why it makes sense, though, is because the salary cap is rising, and the max contract that George signed a couple of years ago is almost equal to the average contract that less talented players have signed this summer.
For 2017-18, George is set to earn $19.5 million and would earn more than $20 million if he didn’t opt out of his fifth year. That’s unlikely, as another max contract would see his salary balloon into the high-20s or low-30s, depending on what the cap does.
Fortunately for the fan base and the franchise, George loves Indiana, and neither side has done anything to warrant a separation between the two. He’s done nothing but great things for the team and the city, and averaged 23.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.9 steals for Indy last season, which was his first full season since suffering that gruesome compound fracture with USAB in 2014.
The organization should give George whatever he wants, as he’s too great a player to let walk to another franchise — and he hasn’t even reached his prime yet.
Contract information courtesy of Spotrac; stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference
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