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Lou Williams surprised more than a few people by agreeing to a three-year, $24 million extension earlier today and while his decision to stay put in Los Angeles wasn't shocking, the $8 million salary he took for his services was.
The spark plug took approximately $2 million less per year than he qualified for, eligible to make as much as $30,349,728 million for the three years he signed up for, according to NBA Insider Mark Deeks.
Williams will be paid a flat salary of $8 million in each of the next three seasons and is only guaranteed $1.5 million in his last season, though the guarantees can increase based on performance.
The amount he signed for is far less than even the full amount of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which had a first-year salary of $8.4 million this season — one that would have dipped even more if the salary cap did so as well.
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If the Clippers' intent is to use him as a trade chip next season by signing him to a lower salary and having a team-option in the third season, it's hard to see how it will actually pan out by making his salary so much less than what others are getting paid.
The mid-level exception exists to fairly value players, and Williams is only peaking at the ripe age of 31.
In addition to that, Williams had never — I repeat, never — seen a 30-plus minute average in his NBA career and with a beefy 32.5 minutes per game under Rivers this season, it only made sense to stay put and lock down a long-term deal with the team.
Williams is posting the best numbers of his career with 23.3 points and 5.3 assists, as well as shooting a blistering 90 percent clip from the free-throw line — a line that has put him in serious conversations for an All-Star spot this season. Paying him less than 80 percent of what he is worth is a head-scratching move for both player and team, though stranger things have happened prior to the deadline.
