Grade the Signing: Clippers Keep Austin Rivers for 3 Years, $35 Million

The Clippers' first agreement of this July's moratorium was to bring Austin Rivers back on a 3-year, $35 million deal.  Rivers has been a key reserve for the Clippers for the last 2 seasons, playing 21 minutes per game in 108 games and averaging 8.9 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 0.7 steals per game while shooting 43.4% from the field and 32.7% from deep.  He's best-known for his defensive contributions, and for posting 21 points, 8 assists, and 6 rebounds in the Clippers' elimination game this year despite leaving early to get stitches over his left eye.

Rivers' contract has a starting value of $11,000,000 and a player option for the third season.  He will turn 24 in August.

Lucas Hann: B. My hopes were probably irrationally raised by a June report that Rivers was looking for $8 million a year, which would have been a steal.  4/32 would have made for the best signing of the summer.  That said, his age and production still make this a solid value.  For a higher grade I would have liked to see the Clippers lock their youngest rotation player up for more than just the next two seasons (plus a player option).

Steve Perrin: B-. Over the cap, working exclusively with exceptions, the Clippers had little choice other than to keep any player that provided value.  The market was so completely over the top that it became clear they couldn't keep all 3 and retain the full MLE.  Given those constraints, I'd say the Clippers kept the right two at about the right prices (again, bearing in mind how nuts the market was).  Look at it this way--$15M for a season of Jeff Green is worse than either of the deals the Clippers made, in my opinion.

Jonathan Hu: B. It helps the team to bring him back.  The contract was for the market rate, and Doc did what was expected and needed.

Robert Flom: B+. 3/35 is a pretty reasonable deal for Austin Rivers, maybe a little on the pricey side. 12 million dollars a year for just a reasonably good bench player seems like a lot... until one looks at some other contracts handed out this summer. Austin's age, a still young 24, is another plus. The Clippers will have him locked down for several years of his prime, and after producing by far the best season of his career so far, minor improvements to his game are not out of the question.

Adithya: B. Slight overpay, but that was to be expected with the Clippers' cap situation. He's good enough to have his own selfie banner, he's worth 8 figures a year in my book. This is gonna be the year for Doogie, book it.