Well, it appears the Sixers’ Plan A is still intact.
Paul George has reportedly opted out of his contract with the LA Clippers, making him an unrestricted free agent when the bell rings Sunday evening. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski was the first to report the news.
BREAKING: Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George is declining his $48.7M option and entering free agency, sources tell ESPN. He’s planning to set meetings with cap space teams and the Clippers beginning Sunday night. An opt-in/trade scenario is now gone. pic.twitter.com/kASDp58eDD
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2024
Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes adds that the Sixers will be a “legitimate threat” to sign George.
Philadelphia 76ers are expected to aggressively pursue Paul George and is a legitimate threat in luring the star away from Los Angeles, sources say. https://t.co/c3JYzn335H
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) June 29, 2024
The best-case scenario for the Sixers was George declining his $48.7 million player option for the 2024-25 season. Now the team has the chance to woo the six-time All-NBA pick in free agency and offer him a four-year, $212 million max deal — one the Clippers have been reportedly unwilling to offer.
George could’ve opted into his current deal and potentially been traded to the Warriors, who were reportedly ready to offer him a max contract. As we learned with the James Harden saga last year, these types of situations can linger. It’s also fair to note that LA could’ve played hardball here, not wanting to help Golden State in their quest to get Steph Curry another ring (anyone who still has PTSD from the Jimmy Butler sign-and-trade should get that).
So, what now?
Expect the Sixers to roll out the red carpet for George when free agency begins at 6 p.m. Sunday night. Geography is not the Sixers’ friend here as all indications are that the nine-time All-Star wing has a strong desire to stay on the West Coast with his family. It will be up to the team to convince the Palmdale native that moving across the country to partner with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey is the right move.
So, what happens if they whiff on PG-13?
Well, Brandon Ingram is still a Pelican even after New Orleans dealt for Hawks’ guard Dejounte Murray Friday night. While it still feels like a long shot, there’s a chance the Jazz could trade All-Star Lauri Markkanen — and the Sixers would be well positioned to give Utah its best offer. In free agency, they could pivot to elite role players, like Denver’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
Free agency begins at 6 p.m. Sunday when teams are free to negotiate with free agents. We’ll see what Daryl Morey has up his sleeve.