The Los Angeles Clippers met with Paul George’s agent, Aaron Mintz, and that dialog resulted in either side standing agency on their respective positions. Either side now anticipate George to possible go away the Clippers in free company.
The Clippers have maintained a three-year provide to George whereas he seeks a four-year contract. Kawhi Leonard signed a three-year, $152 million extension with the Clippers in January, which is analogous to the kind of contract they supplied George. The Clippers will start pursuing different targets with their $12.9 million non-taxpayer midlevel and $4.7 million biannual exception.
The Philadelphia 76ers are actually the robust frontrunners to signal George. George will meet with the Sixers in California on Sunday night.
George joined the Clippers in 2019 in a commerce with the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder involving Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, 4 unprotected picks and two choose swaps. George has been an All-Star in three of the previous 4 seasons. In 23-24, George performed in 74 video games and averaged 22.6 factors, 5.2 rebounds and three.5 assists whereas capturing 41.3 % on three-pointers.
George is represented by Aaron Mintz.
The Clippers launched the next assertion quickly after experiences of their assembly with George leaked:
“Paul has knowledgeable us that he’s signing his subsequent contract with one other staff. Paul is an amazing expertise and an elite two-way participant. We really feel lucky for the 5 years we spent with him. Over that span, he went to a few All Star Video games, made probably the most 3-pointers in franchise historical past and helped lead the staff to a spot it had by no means been. His performances in Video games 5 and 6 in opposition to Utah in 2021 will not be forgotten by anybody related to the Clippers.
“We traded so much to pair Paul and Kawhi, and in alternate, we had 5 seasons of competition. Despite the fact that we fell wanting our final goal, we admire the possibilities we had with Paul.
“Heading into this offseason, our roster was constructed three nice gamers 33 and over, two of whom may turn into free brokers. We needed to retain them on contracts that will enable us, beneath the constraints of the brand new CBA, to proceed constructing the staff.
“We negotiated for months with Paul and his consultant on a contract that will make sense for either side, and we had been left far aside. The hole was vital. We perceive and respect Paul’s resolution to look elsewhere for his subsequent contract. We explored an opt-in and commerce situation, however it might have left us in an analogous place beneath the brand new CBA, with little or no asset worth to justify the restrictions.
“We’ll miss Paul. On the similar time, we’re excited by the alternatives we have now been afforded, together with better flexibility beneath the brand new CBA. Kawhi is an all-NBA participant and we consider T Lue is the very best coach within the league. We’ll area a extremely aggressive staff this season, and shifting ahead, use our organizational benefits to convey high expertise to Intuit Dome.”
