Spencer Hawes will be bringing size and shooting to the Clippers next season, after having agreed to a four-year, $23 million deal with L.A. on Friday. Hawes reportedly was determined to sign with a contender and the opportunity to play alongside Chris Paul and Blake Griffin “was too exciting to pass up.”
Free-agent 7-footer Spencer Hawes has reached agreement on a four-year, $23 million contract with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Hawes was determined to sign with a contender and his commitment to the Clippers on Friday becomes a tremendous coup for president and coach Doc Rivers.
After missing the playoffs in five of his seven NBA seasons, the chance to be surrounded with All-Star talents Chris Paul and Blake Griffin offers Hawes considerable opportunity to flourish with his deft inside-outside game.
“Even taking a little less money, this opportunity was too exciting to pass up,” Hawes told Yahoo Sports on Friday night. “I’ve had a taste of the playoffs before, but being a part of this team will be just incredible. You get to a point where you really realize what’s important, and I was thinking: ‘What would my 12-year-old self have done? What would he prioritize?’ It was this opportunity and what they’re building with the Clippers.”
The Clippers recruited Hawes hard for the full mid-level exception and worked with his agent, Greg Lawrence of Wasserman Media Group, on a deal that includes a player option for the fourth year and a 15 percent trade kicker, sources said.
