Clippers’ Paul George Won’t Play Against Lakers

George is dealing with a left knee injury. 

The Clippers are 37-19. They are in fourth place in the West. Meanwhile, the Lakers 31-28. They are in ninth place in the West. 

George is averaging 22.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.6 steals and 0.4 blocks this season while shooting 45.6% from the field, 39.5% from beyond the arc and 90.5% from the free-throw line. He’s making $45.7 million. 

The Clippers will still be favored to beat the Lakers sans George since they have Kawhi Leonard, James Harden and Russell Westbrook. LAC is 10th in the NBA in points per game and 10th in points per game allowed. 

George can become an unrestricted free agent this summer if he declines his 2024-25 player option worth $48.8 million. The Clippers signed Leonard to a three-year, $149 million extension on January 10. LAC is expected to sign George to an extension before free agency starts this offseason. 

A nine-time All-Star, George has career averages of 20.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.4 blocks with the Indiana Pacers, Oklahoma City Thunder and Clippers. He has never been to the NBA Finals. 

According to NBA insider Howard Beck of The Ringer, the Clippers are expected to go all out to keep George and Harden regardless of how they fare in the 2024 playoffs.

During an interview with NBA reporter Kurt Helin of NBC Sports, George said the Clippers‘ higher-ups asked him, Leonard and Westbrook if they should trade for Harden. 

“Management came to the three of us, let us know what was going on and asked about it, and we all said ‘do it.’ We wanted it,” George said. “We thought James’ game would fit. Yeah, it was a little rough at first, but we settled into it, everyone sacrificing to make it fit. It just worked. … Everybody has sacrificed. It wasn’t something that had to be asked. We knew what we had to do.”