Paul George trade rumors: Latest news on Warriors, 76ers other potential 2024 landing spots
When the Clippers brought Kawhi Leonard and Paul George together, the hope was the two-way forwards would turn Los Angeles into a perennial contender.
Early during their time together, it looked like that was possible. The Clippers made the Western Conference Finals in their second year as teammates and appeared to have a bright future.
Since then, the Clippers have only made the playoffs twice in three years and haven’t made it out of the first round.
Now, the two parties are facing a reckoning. Will the Clippers bring back Paul George in the final year of his four-year, $176.3 million contract, or will they let him go elsewhere and try to retool around Leonard?
George has a $48.8 million player option for the 2024-25 NBA season, so Los Angeles will only partly be in control of his future. The 34-year-old veteran could return to the team, opt for free agency or force a sign-and-trade by opting into his contract and demanding a trade.
Which path will it be for George and the Clippers? Here’s the latest to know about the veteran star’s future in Los Angeles and which teams may be interested in acquiring him.
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Paul George trade rumors tracker
Warriors prepared to give Paul George four-year max contract via sign-and-trade
Date: June 26
Source: ESPN Brian Windhorst
George and the Clippers are struggling to find middle ground on a potential long-term contract to keep him in Los Angeles, as ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reports. That could lead to his exit, as several suitors are willing to give him a max contract.
“To this point, the Clippers have only been willing to offer Paul George about what they gave Kawhi Leonard,” Windhorst on Get Up on Wednesday (h/t RealGM). “Three years at a little bit less than the max contract, and Paul George, frankly, wants four years. He wants a full-out max and there are a number of teams out there, I am told, that are prepared to give it to him, who are prepared to trade for him. One of those teams, potentially, is up the coast in Golden State.”
Getting George onto the Warriors wouldn’t be easy, as the team is projected to be nearly $40 million over the salary cap. That said, The Ringer’s Logan Murdock reports the Warriors are “aggressively dangling” Andrew Wiggins in trade talks, so perhaps his $26.3 million contract could be a strong starting point in negotiating a sign-and-trade.
Chris Paul ($30 million) also stands out as a player with whom the Warriors might want to part, so they may have the salaries needed to make a trade. It’s just a matter of whether they can entice the Clippers enough to trade the two-way star within the division.
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Paul George’s desire to stay on West Coast could scare off 76ers
Date: June 26
Source: ESPN’s Brian Windhorst
The 76ers have long been considered a team that would have an interest in George should he become available. However, a marriage between the two doesn’t seem likely, as ESPN’s Brian Windhorst explained on “The Hoop Collective” podcast.
“I’m not so sure Paul George really wanted to leave the West Coast,” Windhorst said. “I think that was something Philadelphia kind of ran into when they kicked the tires there.”
George grew up in the Los Angeles area and played collegiately at Fresno State, so it would make sense if he wanted to stay closer to home — or even if California. Even so, that could limit his market — or at least serve to limit the types of offers the Clippers can expect to receive in exchange for the veteran.
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‘Growing feeling’ Paul George picks up player option to force trade
Date: June 24
Source: Mark Stein
Paul George has a $48.8 million player option for the 2024-25 NBA season, and he has until Saturday, June 29 to exercise it ahead of free agency. It seems like the Clippers star is going to pick up that option, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he will stay with the team, as NBA insider Marc Stein reports.
“There is a growing feeling leaguewide that the 34-year-old picking up his $48.8 million player option for next season to force the Clippers to trade him is an increasingly realistic scenario,” Stein wrote.
Orchestrating a trade involving George wouldn’t necessarily be easy for the Clippers. They will face a challenge in matching salaries, but there should be plenty of interest in the All-Star should he demand a trade.