Leonard, Clippers agree on $176 million contract
Kawhi Leonard is returning to the Los Angeles Clippers on a four-year maximum contract, tying himself to the NBA franchise long term.
Leonard, an unrestricted free agent, agreed to return to the team last week while still working out the structure of his contract. He will earn $176 million over the length of the deal.
Leonard declined his $36 million option last week, setting up his ability to sign a maximum contract worth 35% of the team’s salary cap and allowing him to earn upwards of $3 million more for the 2021-22 season.
Leonard is recovering from a partially torn ACL in his right knee, an injury that could sideline him for much, if not all, of next season.
In a news release announcing the signing, Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank called Leonard a “transcendent player and a relentless worker.”
⏩ The Denver Nuggets added experience and another 3-point shooter by signing free-agent forward Jeff Green to a two-year, $10 million contract.
Green shot a career-best 41.2% from 3-point range for the Brooklyn Nets last season, averaging 11.0 points per game.
WNBA: Breanna Stewart scored 15 of her 17 points in the first quarter and the Seattle Storm routed the Connecticut Sun 79-57 in Phoenix to win the inaugural WNBA Commissioner’s Cup.
Fellow U.S. Olympic gold medalists Jewell Loyd added 16 points and Sue Bird had 10 to help lead Seattle.
The in-season tournament matched Connecticut and Seattle, which finished as the top teams in the Eastern and Western Conferences. Members of the Storm earned in excess of $30,000 per player. Those on Connecticut earned $10,000 per player.
Tennis: Stefanos Tsitsipas celebrated his 23rd birthday by beating Karen Khachanov 6-2, 6-3 to advance to the National Bank Open quarterfinals in Toronto. Tsitsipas will face Casper Ruud in the quarterfinals Friday.
In women’s play in Montreal, top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the quarterfnals by beating Rebecca Marino 6-1, 6-3. Soccer: Romelu Lukaku sealed a return to English Premier League team Chelsea by moving from Serie A team Inter Milan of Italy for a reported $135 million, a record transfer fee for the European champions.
The Belgium striker is back at the London club with which he spent three seasons beginning in 2011, though he was out on loan for two of those years before being sold for 28 million pounds (now $39 million) to EPL team Everton.
⏩ Former Mexican nationalteam player Gonzalo Pineda was hired as head coach of MLS’ Atlanta United. He succeeds Gabriel Heinze, who was fired last month.
Little League: In San Bernardino, Petaluma National fell 13-3 to Honolulu in a winners’ bracket game of the West Region.
Kalvin Okamura had two hits for Petaluma, which faces Torrance (Los Angeles County) at noon Friday. The losing team will be eliminated. The winner will face Hawaii at 11 a.m. Saturday in the West Region final. Both teams in the region final advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.