According to NBA insider Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, the Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic are “paying very close attention” to Paul George‘s situation with the Los Angeles Clippers.
George can become an unrestricted free agent this summer if he declines his 2024-25 player option worth $48.8 million.
The Clippers have until June 30 to sign George to an extension. They signed Kawhi Leonard to a three-year, $149 million extension in January.
“There’s two teams that are paying very close attention to Paul George: the Orlando Magic and the Philadelphia 76ers,” Shelburne said on the Hoop Collective podcast. “Because both of them have the money to throw at him and have a need for a wing just like him, a veteran guy. Every time I watch the Sixers, I’m like, ‘Oh, they could use Paul George.'”
George averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists for the Clippers this season while shooting 47.1% from the field, 41.3% from beyond the arc and 90.7% from the free-throw line.
The Clippers are tied 2-2 with the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the 2024 playoffs. LAC has never been to the NBA Finals in franchise history.
George has career averages of 20.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists with the Indiana Pacers, Oklahoma City Thunder and Clippers. He was born and raised in Palmdale, California.
The Clippers will play in the Intuit Dome next season. Owner Steve Ballmer can’t afford to lose George with his new arena opening in 2024-25, but is he willing to pay George max money?
“It’s just a matter of whether the Clippers are gonna give him the max, which is something they don’t wanna do because they didn’t give it to Kawhi,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on the podcast.
George and Leonard have been teammates on the Clippers since 2019-20. LAC lost in the second round of the 2020 playoffs, lost in the conference finals in 2021, missed the playoffs in 2022 and lost in the first round in 2023.
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