Things are heating up quickly for Paul George and his contract negotiations. As every fan of the LA Clippers is well aware, George has just a few short days to opt in to his player option for next season. Based on everything we know at this point, him doing so would likely mean he is setting up the first move in a multi-step opt-in-and-trade agreement.
The chances of PG returning to the Clippers next season feel slim to none right now. We have seen multiple contenders including the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks show interest in him, with no one appearing to be quite sure what his exact move will be. Now, mere hours before the NBA Draft, NBA Insider Brian Windhorst stepped in with some more information for us.
According to Windhorst, George has been seeking a four-year maximum deal that the Clippers have been unable to agree with him on. Per Windhorst's sources, the Golden State Warriors are prepared to ink PG to this kind of deal in free agency.
The Warriors are prepared to offer George the contract he wants
Windhorst confirmed this on ESPN on Wednesday. " 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.”
This is another massive bit of information as we inch closer and closer to what feels like the inevitable scenario of the Clippers dealing George elsewhere. Windhorst also reported that PG prefers to remain on the West Coast, which could essentially make the Warriors the favorites in this ongoing saga.
It seems like a foregone conclusion that Paul George will play for a team other than the Clippers next season. The only questions remaining are who that team will be, and how much LA will manage to get back in a trade. The answers to both could have massive implications on next season.