Paul George is a very rich man, and if everything goes the way he and the Pacers anticipate, he could eventually be much, much richer.
George and the Pacers announced their agreement on a multi-year contract on Wednesday, keeping the budding star in Indiana for what is believed to be a five-year maximum extension worth between $80 million and $90 million, on top of the one year he has remaining on his current deal. If George hits every escalator in the fine print, his final haul could be more than $100 million, Yahoo! Sports reports.
George never seriously considered not signing with the Pacers, and the Pacers never considered not signing George even though he is coming off his only season as a focal point of their roster.
“I want to thank the Pacers for believing in me when they drafted me,” George told reporters. “To continue my career with the Pacers was a very easy decision. We have great ownership, a great front office, great fans and I’m blessed with great coaches and great teammates. I use ‘great’ a lot because that is what this franchise is, and I’m hopeful we can be part of great things in the future.”
George, 23, came out of Fresno State and was the 10th pick in the 2010 NBA draft. He averaged 17.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game last season, making his first All-Star Game appearance and claiming the NBA Most Improved Player award.
