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With the primary spherical of the 2024 NBA draft happening on Wednesday night, the offseason is in full swing. One of many greatest storylines heading into draft and free company week has concerned the way forward for Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George.
The 34-year-old continues to be enjoying at an especially excessive degree and will develop into one of many prime gamers available on the market when free company opens on Sunday. Nevertheless, he first has to determine whether or not to train his $48.8 million participant possibility for the 2024-25 season.
For the Clippers and their followers, George’s determination will carry an enormous weight. Los Angeles created a star-studded core when it added James Harden to a bunch that already included George, Russell Westbrook and Kawhi Leonard in November.
Had accidents not restricted Leonard within the postseason, the Clippers—who misplaced to the eventual Western Convention champion Dallas Mavericks in six—may need pushed all the best way to the finals.
Presumably, the Clippers hope to maintain the proverbial band collectively for subsequent season, which might require retaining George and re-signing impending free agent Harden.
Reportedly, Harden’s future might hinge nearly totally on George’s determination.
“He desires to see if Paul George stays, what number of years Paul George will get, as a result of he desires to align himself together with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George,” ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk mentioned on NBA Immediately (h/t Bleacher Report’s Doric Sam).
There’s been hypothesis, although, that even when George opts in, he’ll nonetheless be looking for a brand new workforce.
In response to
NBA insider Marc Stein (h/t Bleacher Report’s Andrew Peters), there is a “rising feeling” that George will decide in and attempt to drive a commerce. In response to Stein, the Clippers have supplied George a three-year deal within the $150-million vary, however George is searching for an extended deal.
In a vacuum, it would seem to be George forcing his method out can be a worst-case state of affairs for the Clippers. It might break up L.A.’s supergroup and will drive Harden to hunt employment elsewhere.
But, it would not be the whole catastrophe that it would seem like at first blush. For one, George might merely decline the choice and search his long-term deal on the open market. He has the leverage to get the deal he desires, drive a commerce or stroll as a result of different groups are reportedly keen to signal a four-year deal.
“I’ve been instructed that a number of groups on the market are keen to commerce for him and supply him the four-year max contract that he isn’t presently being supplied by the Clippers,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst mentioned on Get Up (h/t Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors).
Secondly, locking up George with a max contract would carry large threat.
Los Angeles is already tied to Leonard after giving him a three-year, $149.7 million extension. Leonard is 34, and Harden is 34, Westbrook is 35 and Leonard is the teenager of the group at 32.
It is an older group, and there is not any assure that it will possibly keep wholesome or proceed enjoying at a excessive degree for one more season, not to mention the subsequent three or 4. And if George will get the profitable contract he desires and Harden re-signs, the Clippers are possible being over the dreaded second luxury-tax apron for that timeframe.
This could make it extraordinarily troublesome, if not not possible, for L.A. to reload its roster if the present group falters. L.A. is brief on draft capital, and second-apron restrictions will make it extraordinarily robust to construct by means of free company or the commerce market.
If or when the Clippers are over the second apron, they will be unable to combination contracts in a commerce, ship out money, use commerce exceptions from earlier years or take again extra wage than they ship out.
It is unclear precisely what the Clippers may have the ability to get in a George commerce this summer time, however i a number of groups are really , L.A. ought to count on a powerful return. That is rather a lot higher than dropping George for nothing in free company and a good various to betting all the things on the concept L.A.’s growing older stars will not hit the dreaded cliff.
Would the Clippers fairly maintain George—and, maybe, by extension, Harden—on their phrases? Completely. If they cannot, the opt-in-and-trade possibility is much from their worst.