Clippers Will Not Tender A Qualifying Offer To Brandon Boston Jr.

The Los Angeles Clippers will not tender a qualifying offer to forward Brandon Boston Jr., clearing the way for him to join unrestricted free agency. Boston, 22, was the 51st overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft out of Kentucky.

NBA teams can begin negotiating with all upcoming free agents beginning Sunday, June 30 at 6 p.m. ET. Each team can begin signing free agents to contracts on Saturday, July 6 at 12:01 p.m. ET.

Los Angeles Clippers forward Brandon Boston Jr. has appeared in 105 career games across three NBA seasons

In 32 games played off the bench this past season, Boston averaged 5.2 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 10.8 minutes per game while shooting 40.4% from the floor and career lows of 26.9% from 3-point range and 69.7% at the foul line.

In the Clippers’ 124-108 loss to the Phoenix Suns on April 10, he recorded a season-high 23 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block in 39 minutes as a reserve.

During his rookie 2021-22 season, Boston averaged career highs of 6.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.0 assist, and 14.9 minutes per game in 51 contests off the bench. He also shot 38.5% from the field, 30.6% from beyond the arc, and a career-best 81.9% at the free throw line.

In Los Angeles’ 114-111 win over the Boston Celtics on Dec. 8, 2021, he notched a career-high 27 points on 9-of-13 (69.2%) shooting from the floor, 5-of-8 (62.5%) from deep, and a perfect 4-of-4 (100%) at the line.

It was the most by a Clippers rookie since Blake Griffin had 31 on April 13, 2011.

Last season, Boston also played for the Ontario Clippers, Los Angeles’ G League affiliate. In three starts, he averaged 25 points, 5.3 boards, 2.7 assists, 1.0 steal, and 29.7 minutes per game.

Paul George is deciding whether or not to exercise his $48.8 million option for next season

In other news, Paul has to decide by the end of Saturday whether or not to opt in to his $48.8 million salary for next season. Extension talks between George and the Clippers remain stagnant.

Earlier this week, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported on Get Up! that George is asking for a full four-year max. However, Los Angeles has been offering three years at slightly less than a max salary.

The contract seems comparable to the three-year, $153 million deal Kawhi Leonard signed with the franchise in January. Plus, James Harden is set to become a free agent as well.

If the Clippers sign both George and Harden to new deals, they would probably push their payroll over $200 million, which is well above the $189.6 million threshold for the second apron.

According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, if both George and Harden left the team, the Clippers would get out of the tax and have the $12.95 million nontaxpayer midlevel exception and $4.7 million bi-annual exception available.