Paul George’s contract could keep him in OKC for seven years

Paul George may have been born and raised in the Los Angeles area, but he may be staying in Oklahoma City for quite some time.

George was rumored to have had interest in playing for the Lakers, and he even came out and said he wanted to “put a Laker jersey on,” in speaking to Dwyane Wade in the second episode of his ESPN series. That’s why many believed if he did stay in Oklahoma City, it would be in the form of a 1-and-1 deal, similar to the one Kevin Durant recently signed with the Warriors.

But PG13 may remain with the Thunder for considerably longer.

The four-year, $137 deal he signed would keep him in Oklahoma City for awhile, which is why it surprised many fans and analysts. However, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski shined some light on the contract, and explained why it could be for up to seven years.

Here's essence of Paul George's 4-year, $137M deal, w/ player option: New CBA allows George to extend after 2nd anniversary of deal. Extending on max w/ OKC after year 2, while also opting out of final year, could make this 7-year, $290M-plus deal based on future cap projections.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2018

George would be 35 years of age if he did choose to remain with the Thunder for seven seasons, which is when the contract would expire. But given the unpredictable nature of free agency, and his ties to Los Angeles, it’s hard to see him staying with the Thunder for that long. Still, he would stand to make a boatload of cash if he chose to stick it out.