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Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George was rumored to be one of the top trade candidates this offseason, but now there are signs he won’t be going anywhere.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on this week’s episode The Hoop Collective (11:03 mark) Teams like the Philadelphia 76ers explored the possibility of trading for George, and they felt George would prefer to stay in Los Angeles.
“I’m not sure Paul George really wanted to leave the West Coast. I think it was the same situation in Philadelphia when he made the move there,” Windhorst said.
George is a Los Angeles native, so it makes sense he would want to stay close to home. Windhorst’s report doesn’t guarantee the Clippers won’t trade the nine-time All-Star this offseason, but it would be a surprise if they sent him to another Western Conference team that would hinder their path to an NBA championship.
George has the opportunity to decline his player option for the 2024-25 season and test the open market. He is seeking a maximum contract extension, but the Clippers have not yet met his contract demands, which could force them to release him.
NBA insider Marc Stein reported earlier this week that “there is a growing sentiment across the league that the 34-year-old picking up his $48.8 million player option for next season is a realistic scenario to force the Clippers to trade him.”
The Golden State Warriors are among the teams that would be potential suitors for George. While pairing George with star point guard Stephen Curry is an interesting idea, the Warriors would likely have to pay a hefty price to convince the Clippers to trade him within the Pacific Division. Golden State would likely have to include another team in the deal to do so.
George’s decision to remain with Los Angeles or seek a trade elsewhere would be one of the biggest blows this offseason for teams looking to figure out their best paths to a title race in the 2024-25 campaign.
