The draw for Paul Georges are ongoing and the storylines are a mix of empty rumors, less empty rumors, negotiating tactics and posturing – with an occasional drizzle of actual information.
The Clippers and George’s potential split likely stems from a disagreement over his contract extension. According to reports, the Clippers did not want to offer George the maximum contract he had under the $221 million cap rules. Instead, they are pushing for a three-year deal (with a potential discount involved).
The silver lining for George (and the tricky part for the Clippers) is that he has leverage in this negotiation. Even at 34, George is playing at an All-Star level and is typically on the team whenever he’s healthy enough to play at least 54 games. George is still a solid defender — even if he’s five years removed from his last All-Defense nod — and his overall game as a shooter and secondary ball-handler is likely to age well.
This makes Paul an attractive target for several teams, although paying him around $60 million at the age of 38 is not a good allocation of resources. If George decides to waive his player option for next season, he can theoretically sign wherever there is room. While this is a limited group of teams, it also means that George can use this little lever to force his way to a team of his choosing – “trade me to wherever I want or I’ll walk to Nothing “.
Ultimately, the Clippers may have no choice but to pay up here even if they’re not excited. The alternative will be to go after free agents (e.g. DeMar DeRozan) and this is a clear drop in production for them. Barring a miracle, the Clippers don’t have a replacement who would be as good as George for the upcoming season, when they still hope to compete for a title.
The teams that suit George best generally fall into two categories. On the one hand, older teams with a championship (or overall competitiveness) window with older stars and where the team doesn’t worry about potential overpayments in three or four years, or on the other hand, the young teams who can eat up salary for the next couple of years before their teams naturally become more expensive as their best young players are extended beyond their rookie contracts.
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The 76ers are not currently considered the favorites to land George – especially considering George hinted at Harden’s call Daryl Morey a liar” and players talk about it during a recent episode of his podcast.
However, George should not (at least in his outgoing communication) disdain the Sixers because they are the source of his influence. Of the two categories mentioned above, the Sixers actually meet both criteria. Joel Embiid At 30 years old and with a checkered injury history, the time has come to contend for a championship. Plus, the 76ers have the salary cap space to sign George outright to a max deal before signing Tyrese Maxey to his second contract – a move that immediately puts the 76ers in a much tighter salary cap situation going forward.
George’s integration with the 76ers would also be perfect. He would be the third option with Maxey and Embiid on the court while taking over more of the game when one (or both) is on the bench. The skill sets between their three major contracts wouldn’t overlap either — splitting a team’s salary cap space across a big, a wing and a guard makes perfect sense.
The other options to sign George outright are bad teams like Detroit who wouldn’t allow him to compete for a deep playoff run.
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A Recent favorite for GeorgeThe Warriors are desperate to move on from the final years where Stephen Curry is still a competitive All-NBA level player. That’s also why the Warriors would be willing to give George the maximum extension he wants.
For the movement to be completed, the warriors must let go Klay Thompson This is due to the first and second apron rules that apply to them and make it difficult to match salaries across trades. Chris Paul would be used as the bulk of the salary match with the final year’s unguaranteed salary of $30 million and likely Jonathan Kuminga as the bulk of the value the Clippers would receive.
For the Clippers, this trade is an imperfect option, but they should probably take it if Goerge really insists. Kuminga had a breakout season last year, going from 9.9 to 16.1 points from his sophomore season. He’s a versatile player who would help the Clippers stay competitive.
Even the best-case scenario isn’t very appealing to the Clippers. Kuminga could flourish and play a bigger role with the Clippers, but they would still be susceptible to a move back. In the West, where the Clippers were just two wins above the play-in standings last season – and where teams like Houston, Memphis and San Antonio were improving – being slightly worse could mean missing out entirely. playoffs.
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On paper, the Thunder are an ideal destination for George. In practice, it is likely that George wants to stay on the West Coast given his initial desire to go to the Clippers and the Warriors becoming the most popular destination in recent days.
That being said, the Thunder are in many ways George’s best option and his best chance to compete for a championship. Chet Holmgren will have to be extended just two seasons from now for 2026-27 and the same goes for Jalen Williams. general manager Sam Presti has been smart in assembling a treasure trove of assets and draft picks for years to come and can easily make the Clippers the most attractive offer — even without spending too much in terms of picks.
The Thunder could send some of their depth as Isaiah Joe And Kenrich Williams as well as first-round picks that the Clippers can trade for other talent in subsequent trades to remain competitive. Cason Wallace were to be included, this would also reduce the choices required.
Last season’s No. 1 seed, getting George back without sacrificing most of its core and maintaining a strong bench, would be a scary team. However, unless George wants to return to Oklahoma, that’s unlikely.
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The Magic are the fourth most likely team currently (aside from the Clippers) according to betting odds to bring George over. George’s acquisition logic is similar to that of the Thunder – Paolo Banchero, Franz WagnerAnd Jalen suggests are all one season into their second contracts, which is exploding the team’s salary cap.
George would provide the offense with a relief valve and a player capable of bolstering the overall efficiency. The Magic have been ranked 27th in assists per game last season and their key contributors continue to grow as playmakers. Additionally, the team ranked 24th in three-point field goal percentage with the second-fewest attempts in the entire league. George has shot over 40 percent in three of the last five seasons and can provide spacing to help the Magic’s offense.
Defensively, the addition of George would make the Magic one of the most versatile defensive units in the league. Suggs is a big guard and a wing rotation consisting of George, Wagner and Banchero (with Jonathan Isaac) is a huge advantage – as the defending champion Celtics showed, defensive versatility is a key to the modern game.
All of this makes George an ideal fit for a young team looking to make its first deep playoff run.