With less than a week to go before meeting the deadline given for them to inform the L.A. Clippers of their plans moving forth, both Blake Griffin and Chris Paul chose to decline their player options for the 2017-18 season, it was announced on Friday, June 23.
Griffin had up until next Wednesday to bring Clippers leadership into the loop and Paul had until Thursday, but they selected to drop the news asap, having reportedly made their respective decisions only minutes apart. Griffin and Paul will now test the market out as unrestricted free agents, thereby potentially bringing an end to a run that fans who've co-signed their talent always imagined would bring them to heights they've failed to live up to as playoff busts in recent years.
Despite having had their names brought up by several franchises looking to compete with the game's super teams, it'll likely take whole lot of money, or enough humility on Blake and Paul's part to accept less for a chance at a ring, if anyone is going to pry the duo loose from L.A. Paul would be turning down $22.8 million and Griffin wouldn't be far behind him, as his player option would have been good for $20.1 million this coming season. There is
The L.A. Times reports that should Paul and Griffin eventually decide on re-signing under new terms with the Clippers, Paul could be looking at $205 million over five years, in contrast to the estimated $152 million ballpark he is predicted to command from another team. Griffin going to another team would translate into him leaving an absorbent amount of money on the table as well, with the market projected to offer him around $130 million over four years; in comparison to the $175 million, L.A. will offer him to stay.
Griffin is expected to receive invites from Boston, Houston, and Oklahoma; while San Antonio, Houston, and Denver are said to be interested in Paul.
Source: latimes.com
