As Clippers prepare for draft, Paul George’s future hangs in balance

A collaboration between Paul George and the Clippers might are available many alternative types.

And that’s maybe probably the most urgent concern the Clippers should consider, much more so than the NBA draft, which begins Wednesday night time.

They don’t have a first-round decide within the 2024 draft, only a second-round choice at No. 46.

At that place, groups often search for the “greatest participant accessible,” and that would be the similar for the Clippers.

The Clippers’ greatest choices in all probability will likely be wing gamers and guards, and so they gained’t be on the clock till Thursday night time.

However an important factor for the staff is coping with George’s state of affairs.

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He has a participant possibility for $48.7 million and has to let the Clippers know by Saturday whether or not he’ll decide in on his deal.

George can decline the choice and change into a free agent if he and the Clippers are unable to return to an settlement on an extension earlier than Sunday. He’s eligible for a four-year deal price $221 million from the Clippers earlier than that date, one thing George is looking for.

To this point, the 2 sides haven’t been capable of get a deal performed.

Russell Westbrook ($4 million) and P.J. Tucker ($11.5 million) even have participant choices they’re anticipated to train by the deadline.

When Kawhi Leonard agreed through the common season to a three-year contract extension with the Clippers for $152 million, the staff had conversations with George a couple of comparable deal.

However no deal got here to fruition and it was left as much as George to talk on the matter after the Clippers had been eradicated from the Western Convention playoffs in Recreation 6 by the Dallas Mavericks.

George, 34, was requested if he might see himself with the Clippers long run.

“Yeah,” George mentioned in Might. “If it really works that method, completely.”

The rumors have been flying about George opting out of his contract and different groups trying to signal him, together with Philadelphia and Orlando, which might pay him as much as $220 million over 4 years.

The Golden State Warriorshave been linked to George as effectively, based on individuals not approved to talk on the matter.

To hitch the Warriors, George must decide in to his contract for a commerce to happen after which the 2 sides would discuss a contract extension.

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George performed in 74 video games through the 2023-24 common season, probably the most in his 5 seasons with the Clippers. He averaged 22.6 factors, 5.2 rebounds and shot a career-high 41.3% from three-point vary.

He averaged 19.5 factors, 6.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists within the first-round playoff collection towards Dallas.

George performed a pivotal position within the Clippers reaching their first Western Convention finals in 2021.

Lawrence Frank, the Clippers’ president of basketball operations, talked about George returning and teaming with Leonard and free-agent-to-be James Harden when the staff performs its inaugural season at Intuit Dome.

“We would like Paul, we worth Paul,” Frank mentioned through the staff’s exit interviews in Might. “Paul’s performed some super issues right here. He is an elite participant, and our greatest factor is we at all times need to have the ability to deal with gamers effectively and pay them pretty, and we additionally should construct out a staff, particularly, it is a new CBA [collective bargaining agreement].

“However when it comes to the precise cash, I might by no means go into particulars aside from we have had actually, actually good conversations over the course of the 12 months and [we are] hopeful that we will get him to stay a Clipper.”

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This story initially appeared in Los Angeles Instances.