Chris Paul Reportedly Expected to Re-Sign with Los Angeles Clippers

The Los Angeles Clippers reportedly expect superstar point guard Chris Paul to sign a contract extension with the organization during the upcoming NBA offseason.

On Friday, Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN.com reported: "Sources close to the Clippers say that they expect Paul to re-sign with the Clippers. He'll be eligible for a five-year contract in excess of $200 million." The status of fellow building block and potential free agent Blake Griffin isn't as clear.

The 31-year-old guard is coming off another highly efficient season leading the L.A. offense. In 61 games he averaged 18.1 points, 9.2 assists and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 47.6 percent from the field, including 41.1 percent from beyond the arc.

While he owns an early-termination option in his current contract, which would allow him to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, it's long been expected he will remain with the Clippers.

In February, Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders reported Paul, who ranked ninth in the NBA in player efficiency rating, already "verbally agreed" to re-sign with Los Angeles and that the sides are waiting until he can opt out and re-sign with a lucrative long-term deal.

Clippers head coach Doc Rivers said coming into the playoffs he hoped to keep the team's core together regardless of the postseason results. He told Sam Amick of USA Today the outside idea of trying to retool the roster doesn't make sense to him.

"I always use Utah as a great [example]," Rivers said. "Thank God Karl Malone and [John] Stockton didn't listen to people, you know what I mean? They fell [in the playoffs] and kept trying and kept trying. And finally, late in their careers, they finally broke through to the Finals. They didn't win it [all]. But you know, that's the pursuit. I just think it's so easy to [say], 'Hey, they should break up,' from the outside."

That said, there have been questions about the coach's future too.

ESPN.com's Marc Stein reported last month there's been "persistent chatter" around the league that Rivers could reunite with the Orlando Magic. While a timetable for the potential move is unclear, Stein noted further clarity on the situation "might not be far off."

The Clippers will head into the offseason with a myriad of question marks whenever their playoff run comes to a close.

For now, they're focused on trying to survive a tight first-round battle with the Utah Jazz. They trail the series 3-2 heading into Friday night's Game 6 at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City.