The transfer places George on observe to grow to be an unrestricted free agent, and he intends to schedule conferences with the Clippers – who management his Bird rights– and different suitors with cap room starting on Sunday night, says Wojnarowski.
The choice additionally implies that an opt-in-and-trade state of affairs is off the desk for George, so over-the-cap groups who had been hoping to amass him – together with the Warriors – will not have a path to take action.
George turned 34 in Could however has continued to provide like one of many NBA’s greatest wings lately. In 74 video games in 2023-24, he averaged 22.6 factors, 5.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.5 steals in 33.8 minutes per recreation, posting a robust taking pictures line of .471/.413/.907.
The Clippers signed their different star ahead – Kawhi Leonard – to a three-year, $152M contract extension in January and have reportedly tried to get George locked as much as an analogous deal, which is under his most by way of each years (he can rise up to 4) and {dollars}. The Los Angeles native has been unwilling to signal what his hometown crew has placed on the desk up to now and – with the 2 sides apparently at a stalemate – will weigh his choices on the open market.
The Sixers, who may have greater than sufficient cap room to accommodate a maximum-salary contract, have lengthy been considered as the largest risk to the Clippers for George. A report final week indicated that Philadelphia’s curiosity in pursuing George had “waned,” however Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (X link) hears from sources that the 76ers are nonetheless anticipated to aggressively attempt to lure George away from the West Coast. The Magic are one other crew with vital cap room that has been talked about as a possible suitor.
As our maximum salary projections for 2024-25 present, rival suitors will have the ability to provide George as much as a projected $212.2M over 4 years, whereas the Clippers might bid as much as about $221M over these 4 years. Usually, Los Angeles would have the ability to provide a fifth 12 months to a Fowl-rights free agent, however that’s not an possibility for George because of the over-38 rule.
Whereas a sign-and-trade deal sending George to a brand new crew is technically attainable, it possible gained’t be a sensible possibility for over-the-cap suitors. A crew that takes again wage in alternate for a signed-and-traded participant turns into hard-capped on the second tax apron, so buying upwards of $40M in salaries for George most likely gained’t be viable for the Clippers.