Paul George rumors: Latest news on Warriors, 76ers other potential 2024 landing spots in free agency

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.

NOH: Predicting where Paul George, other NBA stars will end up in free agency

Paul George trade rumors tracker

Clippers confirm Paul George is signing elsewhere

Date: June 30

Source: Ohm Youngmisuk

The Clippers confirmed that George will be leaving in free agency and signing elsewhere. Los Angeles attempted to re-sign George but there was too big of a gap.

“We negotiated for months with Paul and his representative on a contract that would make sense for both sides, and we were left far apart,” the Clippers stated. “The gap was significant.”

Clippers’ statement on Paul George parting ways following a significant gap in contract talks, exploring an opt-in and trade scenario and excitement about new opportunities and greater flexibility under new CBA to field a “highly competitive team” moving forward: pic.twitter.com/Uajbail3Hk

— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) July 1, 2024

George’s new home hasn’t been reported yet, but he’s been linked to the 76ers.

‘Growing optimism’ that Paul George lands in Philadelphia

Date: June 30

Source: Chris Haynes, Bleacher Report

George has been linked to the 76ers for a while now and that idea is starting to heat up as the free agency period is beginning. Chris Haynes reported that there’s “growing optimism” that the 76ers will sign George.

George declined his player option to become an unrestricted free agent, likely ending his tenure with the Clippers.

Warriors were prepared to offer four-year max extension to Paul George

Date: June 29

Source: Tim Kawakami, The Athletic

The Warriors believed they were on the verge of landing George in a trade on Saturday with the intention of signing him to a four-year, max extension, according to The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami. However, despite a belief in Golden State’s front office that a deal would be completed, it did not wind up happening.

With George now hitting free agency, Kawakami reported the Warriors are all but out of the George sweepstakes since the team doesn’t have the cap room to ink him to a deal in free agency.

Paul George to meet with Clippers, 76ers, Magic

Date: June 29

Source: Adrian Wojnarowski, ESPN

George is set to meet with the Clippers, 76ers and Magic shortly after the start of free agency. The 76ers were reported earlier Saturday to be a top option for George, while the Magic have been in the market for big fish including Klay Thompson.

A return to Los Angeles remains on the table for George, who declined his $48.7 million player option on Saturday.

76ers expected to pursue Paul George

Date: June 29

Source: James Herbert

As expected, with Paul George electing to decline his option and head for free agency, the 76ers are reportedly set to make a push for the nine-time All-Star. Philadelphia is ready to go all-in to land another star next to center Joel Embiid and guard Tyrese Maxey. 

Paul George is declining his option, set to hit free agency

Date: June 29

Source:Adrian Wojnarowski

Paul George is declining his player option with the Clippers, and will test free agency. This rules out the option for an opt-in and trade. 

He is reportedly set to meet with “cap space teams and the Clippers beginning Sunday night.”

Warriors are prioritizing Paul George over Klay Thompson

Date: June 28

Source: Marc Stein

The George-Warriors rumors are heating up as Marc Stein reported that Golden State is prioritizing George over re-signing Klay Thompson.

“Golden State has this week prioritized the trade pursuit of the LA Clippers’ Paul George above all other business,” Stein said.

There’s a growing belief that Thompson could end up elsewhere as a result of this.

“It will take time for many NBA-watchers to get used to the idea of Klay Thompson in a different uniform if he is indeed prepared to leave the Golden State Warriors in free agency,” Stein said. “The signs, though, have frankly never pointed more strongly to it.”

Clippers aren’t ‘desperate’ to keep Paul George

Date: June 28

Source: Brian Windhorst

Despite recent comments from Lawrence Frank, Clippers president of basketball operations, Windhorst feels that the Clippers aren’t “desperate” to keep George in Los Angeles.

“What I find interesting about this is the stance that the Clippers are taking here,” Windhorst said on NBA Today. “Because this is a very important player to them. They were heavily invested in him.”

“[The Clippers] are not acting like they’re desperate to keep him.” 😳 @WindhorstESPN doesn’t understand why the Clippers are not worried about losing Paul George 🤔 pic.twitter.com/rD9IPFSW2K

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 28, 2024

The Clippers sent Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a large sum of draft picks to the Oklahoma City Thunder to acquire George in 2019. It seems the Clippers aren’t worried about losing him to free agency since they’re not giving him a max deal that other teams are offering.

Clippers want to keep Paul George

Date: June 27

Source: Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank

The Clippers are hopeful they can keep Paul George, but also understand that he may want to leave the team, as president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said during a post-NBA Draft news conference.

“We very much want to retain Paul, but we also very much understand and respect the fact this is a business,” Frank said, per ESPN. “We hope Paul’s decision is to be here. He’s been awesome. He’s been an All-Star. He’s one of the best two-way players in the league. He’s a terrific person. He’s got great family, so we hope he’s here but also respect the fact that if he chooses to opt out, that’s his choice. He’s earned it and we’ll see how things play out.”

Frank also cited Los Angeles’ close proximity to George’s family as something that could keep the star player with the Clippers for his next contract.

Clippers could target DeMar DeRozan as Paul George replacement

Date: June 26

Source: NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson

If the Clippers need to replace Paul George, they could target DeMar DeRozan to replace him, per Johnson.

Keep the Clippers in mind as a potential DeMar DeRozan destination if Paul George signs elsewhere.

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) June 26, 2024

DeRozan was born and raised in Compton, so playing in Los Angeles would be a homecoming of sorts. The 34-year-old is set to be a free agent and would provide the Clippers with a solid replacement for George should they move on from the veteran.

Warriors prepared to give Paul George four-year max contract via sign-and-trade

Date: June 26

Source: ESPN’s 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.