The Philadelphia 76ers are robust front-runners to land Paul George on a free agent deal, sources instructed ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Sunday, after George knowledgeable the Clippers he might be signing with one other staff.
George’s agent, Aaron Mintz of CAA, had a dialog with LA Clippers president Lawrence Frank on Sunday night time that resulted in no new motion on a deal. The Clippers then stated in a press release that George had determined to maneuver on.
A Sixers contingent is about to fulfill with George in California later Sunday night time, sources instructed Wojnarowski.
“Paul has knowledgeable us that he’s signing his subsequent contract with one other staff,” the Clippers stated in a press release. “Paul is an amazing expertise and an elite two-way participant. We really feel lucky for the 5 years we spent with him. Over that span, he went to 3 All-Star Video games, made essentially the most 3-pointers in franchise historical past and helped lead the staff to a spot it had by no means been. His performances in Video games 5 and 6 in opposition to Utah in 2021 will not be forgotten by anybody related to the Clippers.
“We traded rather a lot to pair Paul and Kawhi [Leonard], and in change, we had 5 seasons of competition. Although we fell in need of our final goal, we respect the probabilities we had with Paul.”
George’s determination to maneuver on comes after what the Clippers described as a “important” hole in contract negotiations. George was eligible to signal an extension of as much as 4 years and $221 million throughout the season.
After the Clippers and Leonard agreed to a three-year, $150 million extension in January, George was optimistic he would have his personal extension quickly, as properly. However the two sides had been “far aside.”
George is eligible to signal a four-year, $212 million contact with groups which have cap area.
The Clippers — who’ve agreed to a two-year, $70 million cope with free agent level guard James Harden, sources instructed ESPN — stated they explored a commerce that may have required George to choose in to his $48.8 million participant possibility previous to Saturday’s deadline.
However the group has taken a measured strategy to roster development with the brand new collective bargaining settlement being so punitive for taxpaying groups such because the Clippers.
“Heading into this offseason, our roster was constructed [with] three nice gamers 33 and over, two of whom might develop into free brokers,” the Clippers stated within the assertion. “We wished to retain them on contracts that may enable us, underneath the constraints of the brand new CBA, to proceed constructing the staff.
“We negotiated for months with Paul and his consultant on a contract that may make sense for each side, and we had been left far aside. The hole was important. We perceive and respect Paul’s determination to look elsewhere for his subsequent contract. We explored an opt-in and commerce situation, however it could have left us in the same place underneath the brand new CBA, with little or no asset worth to justify the restrictions.”
George’s departure brings the Leonard-George period to a disappointing finish. In the course of the summer season of 2019, the Clippers celebrated maybe their greatest second ever when Leonard selected to signal with the staff as a free agent and LA then struck a blockbuster commerce to land George.
The Clippers needed to give up a large haul to accumulate the All-Star wing, sending Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, unprotected 2022, 2024, 2026 first-round picks, first-round rights swaps in 2023 and 2025 and unprotected 2021 and guarded 2023 first-round picks through the Miami Warmth to the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder.
The Leonard-George duo introduced immense title expectations, however persistent accidents stored the pair from reaching the NBA Finals. The Clippers have one Western Convention finals look in 2021 to indicate for the earlier 5 years.
The previous two postseasons led to first-round exits. George was injured and didn’t play and Leonard was harm after two video games in a five-game collection with the Phoenix Suns in 2023. And this yr, Leonard missed the final three video games of a six-game collection with the Dallas Mavericks.
With out George, the Clippers are continuing into free company armed with a $12.9 million midlevel exception and a $4.7 million biannual exception obtainable.
However it is going to be extraordinarily troublesome for the Clippers to switch George, a nine-time All-Star who averaged 22.6 factors, 5.2 rebounds and three.5 assists final season whereas capturing profession highs of 47.1% from the sphere, 41.3% from 3-point vary and 90.7% from the free throw line.
The Clippers stated they now have flexibility underneath the brand new CBA and can discover alternatives to stay a playoff staff with Leonard and Harden as they transfer into the brand new Intuit Dome in Inglewood.
“We’ll miss Paul,” the staff stated. “On the similar time, we’re excited by the alternatives we have now been afforded, together with better flexibility underneath the brand new CBA. Kawhi is an all-NBA participant and we imagine [Ty] Lue is the perfect coach within the league. We’ll area a extremely aggressive staff this season, and transferring ahead, use our organizational benefits to deliver high expertise to Intuit Dome.”