Hours after Paul George informed them that he was moving on to a new team, the LA Clippers agreed to a three-year, $30 million deal with Derrick Jones Jr., a league source confirmed to ESPN.
With George's departure, the Clippers needed an athletic wing who can defend, and they found it in Jones, who is coming off his best season as a pro with the Dallas Mavericks.
Jones started 66 games and averaged a career-high 8.6 points and 34.3% shooting from behind the 3-point arc last season while a key starter in helping the Mavericks reach the NBA Finals. Jones and the Mavericks eliminated the Clippers in six games in the first round of the playoffs.
The Clippers said earlier Sunday that George had informed them he was planning to sign with another team in free agency. The Philadelphia 76ers are considered strong front-runners, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
The Clippers, who have taken a cautious and measured approach toward roster building under the new collective bargaining agreement restrictions for tax-paying teams, wouldn't give George a maximum extension of four years and $221 million during the season.
The 6-foot-6 Jones, 27, will try to help the Clippers replace George, likely by committee. Jones is an athletic wing who can defend multiple positions. He ranked second in total defensive half-court matchups against 2024 All-Stars this past season, including regular season and playoffs, according to research by ESPN Stats & Information.
Jones also could be a lob threat for James Harden. The Clippers and Harden agreed to a two-year, $70 million deal earlier Sunday, league sources told ESPN.
Jones' agreement with the Clippers was first reported by The Athletic.