Clippers Not But Extending Paul George Has Sparked Thriller Round Their Plans

The Los Angeles Clippers have been broadly anticipated to signal Paul George to a contract extension pretty quickly after they reached settlement on a three-year, $152.4 million cope with Kawhi Leonard earlier this 12 months. With George about to develop into a free agent and anticipated to obtain a four-year max supply from at the very least the Philadelphia 76ers, the actual fact he hasn’t signed an extension but with the Clippers has develop into a puzzling scenario. 

George’s cleanest path to a brand new group can be to the Sixers or Orlando Magic as they each have sufficient cap house to signal him outright. An opt-in-and-trade state of affairs would open up different choices for George such because the New York Knicks or Miami Warmth.

“I need to speak in regards to the Clippers actual fast,” mentioned Brian Windhorst on First Tackle Thursday morning. “The Clippers are doing one thing very fascinating proper now and I do not absolutely perceive what it’s. You do not want to be an NBA insider to understand that Paul George has choices on the market as a free agent. And I need to say ‘if’, as a result of he does not essentially need to be a free agent, he has an possibility in his contract, and I feel if he wished to be traded someplace he might use that as an opt-in-and-trade, however that is a unique subject.

“We all know that the 76ers have an interest. This isn’t a thriller. We all know there’s different groups that will have an interest together with perhaps the Orlando Magic. There is not a doubt proper now that typically a participant says ‘Hey, I desire a sure quantity.’ And also you’re, like, ‘Properly, the place are you getting that quantity?’ It is only a posture. Paul George does not need to posture. He has authentic different affords and but right here he’s nonetheless a free agent. Why? He is from L.A. He needs to be a Clipper. He has prolonged with them up to now. They have been final 12 months, earlier than Kawhi [Leonard] bought damage once more, as formidable as a group within the Western Convention. There was a time the place we thought they have been a finalist favourite once they have been wholesome.

“Why, why have they not made that provide? They know he is bought different choices and what we’re led to consider is that the supply that they made to Kawai, which was three years and $150 million. By the best way, it is not simply the annual cash, it is also the years. If I am 35-year-old Paul George, I would like 5 years from the Clippers, I am eligible to get 5 years, I would like all 5, or at the very least 4. Why aren’t they doing that? They need to know that he can stroll on them for nothing, so why?”

Windhorst suggests there is a state of affairs the place the Clippers might embark on an intensive reset if George leaves in free company by additionally selecting to not re-sign James Harden. 

“And in addition with regards to the Clippers, James Harden is sitting there,” mentioned Windhorst. “James Harden is a free agent on the finish of the month. What about Harden? If Paul George walks, you might let Harden stroll and begin half your group over. You would be a cap house group. They’ve a number of choices. The Clippers might nonetheless signal Paul George on July 1st. They might signal Paul George this afternoon, however the truth that they aren’t seemingly reacting to what his market clearly is, is one thing to concentrate to. It’s kind of of an interesting growth.”