According to NBA insider Brian Windhorst of ESPN, Paul George and the Los Angeles Clippers are “apart” in contract extension talks.
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.
George can become an unrestricted free agent this summer if he declines his 2024-25 player option with the Clippers worth $48.8 million.
“But it’s now been three months, give or take, and there’s been no agreement on Paul George and the word in the NBA is that they’re apart,” Windhorst said. “It’s not like, let’s have a big problem. They’re apart.”
Many people around the NBA anticipated the Clippers to sign George to an extension after they extended Leonard. However, that hasn’t happened.
George is averaging 22.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 0.5 blocks this season while shooting 47.0% from the floor, 40.9% from beyond the arc and 89.7% from the free-throw line. The Fresno State product is making $45.6 million.
According to NBA reporter Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, “there are some who expect” George to leave the Clippers for the Philadelphia 76ers this summer. Should George enter free agency, the Sixers are expected to offer him a large contract.
Leonard and George have been teammates since 2019-20. The Clippers lost in the second round of the 2020 playoffs to the Denver Nuggets, fell in the 2021 Western Conference Finals to the Phoenix Suns, missed the postseason in 2022 and lost in the first round of the 2023 playoffs to the Suns.
George has career averages of 20.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists with the Indiana Pacers, Oklahoma City Thunder and Clippers. The nine-time All-Star turns 34 in May.
It would be surprising to see George leave the Clippers since he’s from California and has a close relationship with Leonard, James Harden and Russell Westbrook.
However, the NBA will always be a business first.
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