Paul George is the biggest domino in free agency, until his decision falls through, decisions on other players — potential trades for Brandon Ingram or Zach LaVine, for example — will likely be put on hold. George said on his podcast that “playing the right style of basketball is what I’m chasing” in free agency.
He’s also chasing maximum money and years, but the years are proving to be a hindrance — the Clippers aren’t offering them, and Goerge’s oft-mentioned landing spots like Orlando and Philadelphia appear to be looking for short-term details. Keith Pompey at the Philadelphia Inquirer summed it up well.
He even has [June 29] opt to sign his $48.8 million contract for next season or become an unrestricted free agent. The Clippers could offer him a four-year contract worth $221 million. However, they are not willing to offer more than the three years, $152.3 million they gave Kawhi Leonard. The problem is that George wants a four-year contract. The Sixers and other teams can offer four years and about $212 million.
You can, but you didn’t, with the The 76ers’ interest in George has reportedly faded (which could be Philadelphia demonstrating their lack of interest in them, or could be a negotiation tactic). Orlando is reportedly offering players (as Klay Thompson) big two-year deals but doesn’t want to commit to stars long-term.
One of the trends of this free agency has been that teams with cap space are seeking larger, short-term deals rather than big four-year deals. This follows the pattern of how Indiana stole Bruce Brown from the then-champion Nuggets a year ago, a massive two-year contract worth $45 million that he couldn’t refuse (and Denver couldn’t match).
One option for a frustrated George is to opt for $48.8 million and then ask the Clippers for a trade, something ESPN’s Brian Windhorst shared in “First Take.” This may well land George in a new home – unlike Leonard, he wasn’t willing to accept a discount to stay at home in Los Angeles – but it doesn’t resolve the issue of the length of the contract, he would still need to negotiate with his new team. George may want to talk to his teammate James Harden about accepting and expecting a certain contract as a reward.
The Clippers are just waiting for the situation to blow over, with their offer on the table and no reason to change it. Yet. Maybe that will change, but George – coming off an All-Star season where he averaged 22.6 points per game with a 61.3 true shooting percentage in 74 games – is clearly finding the market a little drier than he is. expected.
