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David West agrees to three-year extension with the Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers have reached an agreement with forward David West on a three-year, $36 million contract extension, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

The third year of the deal is expected to be a player option.

Keeping West had been the major priority of the Pacers' offseason, and his strong desire to return to the organization made negotiations go smoothly. West hasn't seriously considered another team.

After signing with the Pacers two years ago, he made an immense impact on the floor and in the locker room as Indiana pushed the Miami Heat to seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals this season.

West, 32, averaged 17.1 points and 7.7 rebounds for the Pacers this season. After spending his first eight seasons in New Orleans, West signed a two-year, $20 million deal with the Pacers in 2011. He's considered one of the best leaders in the NBA and is respected within the front office, coaching staff and locker room.

No deal can be made official until the NBA's moratorium is lifted on July 10.

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