The Clippers have made progress in their offseason plans with Kawhi Leonard signing a three-year, $149.7 million extension. Leonard took a discount to stay with the team he wanted to be on, falling slightly below the max offer from the Clippers. However, the next domino, Paul George, has not yet signed an extension with the team. With other teams expressing interest in George, negotiations with the Clippers are reportedly at a standstill.
According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Brian Windhorst, several teams are closely monitoring George’s situation. The Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers are among those that have expressed interest in signing George as a veteran wing player. Both teams have cap space and need for such a player.
The Clippers are hesitant to offer George the max deal as they did not do so with Leonard. With George approaching 34 and a rule limiting the length of his contract, he has options to explore offers from other teams. The team is facing financial constraints with deep luxury tax implications and needs to re-sign James Harden.
Russell Westbrook’s uncertain status adds another layer of complexity to the situation. The team is hoping all four stars will take pay cuts to continue playing together in Los Angeles, but George may not be on board with that plan.
As the offseason progresses, negotiations with George will be critical in determining the Clippers’ roster for next season.
