Golden State Warriors are prepared to offer Paul George a max contract according to latest report
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Cover your eyes, Clippers fans: the Paul George sweepstakes continue to trend away from L.A. At this point, some groundbreaking news on the future of the nine-time All-Star can't come soon enough. Clippers fans are itching to find out what happens to arguably their best player. But at this point, it's seemingly a forgone conclusion that PG13 is headed elsewhere. The NBA champions from two years ago have suddenly emerged as a strong suitor.
PG13 to Golden State?
According to NBA insider Brian Windhorst, the Golden State Warriors will likely seek George's services to pair with superstar point guard Stephen Curry. The Warriors are dealing with age and luxury tax issues of their own, but they apparently see No. 13 as the big fish in the pond worth pursuing.
"To this point, the Clippers have only been willing to offer Paul George about what they gave Kawhi Leonard," Windhorst said Wednesday on ESPN's "Get Up." "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." (h/t RealGM)
As currently constructed, the Warriors are severely hamstrung in their ability to add expensive talent. For a deal for George to become a bit more realistic, the Dubs would, at minimum, need to part ways with Chris Paul and allow Klay Thompson to walk in free agency.
Golden State has been rumored to be open to the possibility of letting Thompson test the market. However, the franchise would be fighting an almost unwinnable battle against the new CBA by trying to sign George without significant roster changes.
What can the Clippers extract from Golden State?
In order for the Clippers to send George to the Warriors, the two teams would need to engage in a sign-and-trade. While losing George could be a tough blow in the short-term, there is potential for good upside depending on who Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank can acquire from the 2022 champs.
The golden prize would undeniably be 21-year-old star forward Jonathan Kuminga. Showing flashes of superstardom, the Clippers may come out as lopsided winners of a potential deal in the long run if Kumniga continues to take steps forward. In 2023-24, the 21-year-old averaged 16.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists — up from just 9,9 points per game in 2022-23.
L.A. would likely position themselves to extract a draft pick or two from the Dubs. Having little to no draft capital, the Clippers can kill two birds with one stone if the Warriors are desperate enough for PG13.
At this point, George's exit seems like it is inching closer and closer to being a possibility. L.A. will look to hold serve and potentially look to engage in trade talks with different teams. It is all about leveraging the best deal for George, who is seeking a four-year contract from his next team.