Ever since the weekend, Paul George had already informed his team that he was negotiating with another team. Initially, discussions were held with the Warriors to become the next star, but ultimately the 76ers emerged as the front-runners to secure the veteran.
Leading the breaking news was ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who confirmed that the player’s agent Aaron Mintz had informed Clippers president Lawrence Frank on Sunday night. Subsequently, the Los Angeles club announced George’s intention to move on.
“Paul has informed us that he is signing his next contract with another team,” the club stated. “Paul is a remarkable talent and an elite two-way player. We are grateful for the five years we shared with him, during which he participated in three All-Star Games, set the record for most 3-pointers in franchise history, and played a pivotal role in leading the team to new heights. His standout performances in Games 5 and 6 against Utah in 2021 will always be remembered by everyone associated with the Clippers.”
BREAKING: Free agent F Paul George has agreed to a four-year, $212 million maximum contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, sources tell ESPN. George committed during a meeting with Sixers officials and returns to the East to team up with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey in pursuit of an NBA title. pic.twitter.com/pkCfGu3hyp
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2024
The franchise reflected on the risk they took when they paired two stars in LA five years ago. “We traded a lot to pair Paul and Kawhi (Leonard) and in return, we had five seasons of contention. Though falling short of our ultimate goal, we appreciate the opportunities we had with Paul,” the statement read.
According to sources, Paul’s decision to move to Philadelphia followed what his former team described as a “significant” gap in contract negotiations. The forward was eligible to sign an extension of up to four years and $221 million throughout last season.
The Clippers front office had been optimistic about retaining George after agreeing to a three-year, $150 million extension with co-star Leonard in January. However, they found themselves at an impasse with “significant” differences.
The Clippers are pointing to George’s failed negotiations as a roadmap for their future negotiations under the new CBA rules
In light of the punitive nature of the CBA for taxpaying teams like the Clippers, the organization now sees greater flexibility after George’s departure and will seek opportunities to remain competitive in the playoffs alongside Leonard and Harden as they relocate to the new Intuit Dome in Inglewood.
“We engaged in months of negotiations with Paul and his representative to reach a mutually beneficial contract, but we were unable to bridge the gap. The differences were significant. We respect Paul’s decision to explore other opportunities. While we considered an opt-in and trade scenario, it would have left us in a similar position under the new CBA, with limited assets to justify the constraints,” expressed the LA team.
Despite now having more flexibility in tax and salary negotiations this summer, the Clippers acknowledged the void left by their veteran shooting guard and expressed gratitude for his contributions, promising to field a competitive team moving forward.
“We will miss Paul,” the team stated. “At the same time, we are excited about the new opportunities available to us, including enhanced flexibility under the new CBA. With Kawhi as an all-NBA player and Coach Lue regarded as one of the best in the league, we are confident in fielding a highly competitive team this season and leveraging our organizational strengths to attract top talent to Intuit Dome.”
