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Just as it felt more and more realistic that the Philadelphia 76ers could pry Los Angeles Clippers’ star Paul George away from the SoCal native’s home, Shams Charania tweeted last week that the Sixers’ interest in the nine-time All-Star has “significantly waned.”
Did the price of someone like Pelicans star Brandon Ingram, Jazz star Lauri Markkanen or Knicks’ star OG Anunoby suddenly drop? What would cause PG to go from Philadelphia’s “Plan A” (as had been previously speculated by insiders all offseason) to a consolation prize — just days away from both the 2024 NBA Draft and free agency period?
In the several days since that Shams bomb, we’ve heard numerous bits of intel suggesting that some rival teams or insiders are not quite convinced Daryl Morey and the Sixers’ front office has cooled on the PG plan A — and that PG may opt into his one-year player option and seek a trade.
On Sunday afternoon we got a pair of reports from Marc Stein, via Substack and Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Within each report there is key intel confirming much of what we recently speculated about Paul George’s situation and dispelling the notion the team’s true interest in the nine-time All-Star has “significantly wanted.”
It wasn’t difficult to buy the idea that George may opt into his $48.7M one-year deal and seek trade and a max extension. But it was hard to believe the Sixers’ interest in signing George to a four-year $212M max deal had suddenly cooled — if he opted out and hit free agency.
Stein and Pompey’s reports are similar and lend credence to our prior hypothesis. We also got more intriguing updates on names like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Brandon Ingram, OG Anunoby and a couple other names we’ve been following in connection to Philadelphia.
With the 2024 NBA Draft now just a few days away, let’s get to the free agency and trade rumors.
Kyle Lowry
First off, we’ve heard numerous times now that the Sixers are hoping to keep Kyle Lowry. Stein, a former NY Times reporter, dropped a loaded Sixers-centric edition of his Substack newsletter:
“I’ve been hearing for weeks now that the Clippers- even though Russell Westbrook possesses a $4M player option for next season- have interest in both [Chris] Paul and Kyle Lowry to supply backcourt depth. Lowry, though is a Philadelphia native who is widely expected to re-sign with the 76ers.”
And Pompey echoes much of the same sentiment.
Paul George via cash or trade, anyone?
According to Pompey, the idea that the Sixers’ interest in PG has “significantly waned” simply doesn’t add up:
“Clippers swingman Paul George had been listed as the Sixers’ top free-agent target for some time before Thursday’s report about their interest having “significantly waned.” But that doesn’t make sense, considering the nine-time All-Star fits with Embiid and Maxey and how long the Sixers coveted him…..
He has until [June 29] to opt into his $48.8 million contract for next season or become an unrestricted free agent. The Clippers can offer him a four-year, $221 million deal. However, they haven’t been willing to offer more than the three years, $152.3 million they gave Kawhi Leonard. The problem is George wants a four-year deal. The Sixers and other squads can offer four years and around $212 million.”
Stein’s sources apparently feel the same way:
“I am struggling to pinpoint third-party teams that put much stock in the recent leakage suggesting that the 76ers have cooled on the idea of pursuing George. Only the Sixers know their true intentions, but let’s just say there will be a healthy bit of skepticism leaguewide about the Sixers bowing out completely until PG-13 has either come to terms with the Clippers or landed somewhere other than Philly.”
Stein reiterates prior reports indicating George would like to remain in SoCal, where the Palmdale native grew up. But like some have reported in the past, Stein says the Clippers remain reluctant to “extend George a longer or richer deal than Kawhi Leonard’s recent three-year contract extension in the $150M range has put George’s future in legitimate flux.”
So no surprises there but the closer we get to next Saturday (PG’s deadline to opt in or out) without news that PG has opted in should be music to Morey’s ears. Philadelphia’s chances to nab PG for cash (and not have to use picks to trade for him, should he opt in) will have increased dramatically in that scenario.
Would PG opting in preclude Morey from landing him?
Pompey continued:
“One option for George is a sign-and-trade with the Clippers to a destination he desires. Los Angeles, which doesn’t have a first-round pick, would most likely ask for one in a package deal.
The Sixers could include the No. 16 pick and consider even adding Tobias Harris via a sign-and-trade as part of a package. L.A. has some level of interest in Harris, a soon-to-be free agent and former Clipper, according to a league source. And if George opts to become a free agent, don’t rule out Philly going after him.”
Philadelphia would obviously prefer to just sign PG to a max, and retain their picks. But if the former Pacer, Thunder, and current Clipper opts in, the idea of expending precious draft assets to acquire him, all before committing a max salary extension to the 34-year-old would be the instance The Athletic’s Shams Charania talked about on Friday, where the 76ers’ interest has really cooled off.
My guess is Morey, Elton Brand and Co. would still be over the moon if the type of proposal Pompey lays out (no. 16 and Tobias Harris via sign-and-trade, lol) were available to them.
The problem is first George would have to be amendable to coming to the Sixers (news from Briain Windhorst he’s likely to opt in indicates he most likely isn’t keen to) and Los Angeles would also have to prefer a Philly package to likely better offers from rivals.
Beware of the CAA Knicks
You’ve heard of the Nova Knicks. But there’s also the CAA Knicks.
PG has at times been connected to the Knicks simply because he is repped by CAA, and the former top agent for that company happens to be the current Knicks President, Leon Rose.
That’s a scenario I worried about from the Sixers’ POV back in early May since PG shares an agent in Aaron Mintz with Jalen Brunson. Jake Fischer, for Yahoo Sports, at the end of May reported that perhaps LeBron James as well as multiple players could be concerned with Joel Embiid’s future playoff availability too making Morey’s job here more challenging. Brunson doesn’t carry quite the same concerns, even if Embiid is the better player when healthy.
Heck, the Knicks could even look to pay OG Anunoby, and still acquire PG via trade by offloading a few of Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson (recently rumored to be in trade offers already), Bojan Bogdanovic, and perhaps (I’m speculating) Deuce McBride.
Per Marc Stein:
“Another trusted source has advised me to keep the Knicks on the list as a potential trade suitor for George if the All-NBA swingman indeed opts into the final season of his current contract at 48.8M. That would position George to push for a trade to another team.”
OG Anunoby
Per Pompey:
“OG Anunoby’s situation with the New York Knicks is something to pay close attention to as well. The Knicks unrestricted free agent reportedly isn’t happy with what the team is offering him to stay. Could the Sixers entice him with a maximum-salary contract and a larger offensive role than he has in New York?”
Per Stein:
“The Knicks, despite some recent murmurs about Anunoby considering his options elsewhere, have been painted as a strong favorite to re-sign the former Toronto Raptor since acquiring him in late December.”
So the Knicks, the team who eliminated a banged-up Joel Embiid-led Sixers group in round one, continue to be a large pain in the neck here for Philly.
The Knicks may be waiting to see if a team like the Sixers or Orlando Magic (the 2023-2024 playoff teams with the most cap space available next month) forces their hand in paying OG a max. If the Sixers cannot land PG, they may try to do just that and at least force Rose to pony up a max for the former Hoosier.
Pompey says the Sixers have three top FA options. Most likely he’s referring to LeBron, PG and OG. LeBron, it appears, is most likely staying with the Lakers. But if PG and OG are also two of the Sixers’ top free-agent targets, Morey will certainly hope he can get at least one.
Because if he can’t…
Jimmy Butler and Brandon Ingram
Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images
Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler and Pelicans’ former All-Star Brandon Ingram as trade targets could be the next on their list.
Per Pompey:
“They could also try to trade for Miami Heat six-time All-Star forward Jimmy Butler or New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram. The return of former Sixers forward Jimmy Butler, now with Miami, isn’t out of the question as a player the Sixers could pursue in a trade deal.”
And Stein echoes the sentiment — adding that BI being on the trade block is a safer bet than Butler being available.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
And going further down the list, I suppose….
Per Pompey:
“Kentavious Caldwell-Pope could be an affordable role-playing option the Sixers would like if the shooting guard opts out of a $15.4 million deal with the Denver Nuggets. However, the Orlando Magic and Chicago Bulls are also expected to go after the two-time NBA champion.”
And Stein talked about this idea as well.
“Sources say Philadelphia and Orlando are weighing runs at Caldwell-Pope with their cap space, if, as increasingly expected, he declines his $15.4 million player option with the Nuggets to enter free agency and field richer offers.”
Privately, on Liberty Ballers’ chat circuits we’ve been wondering why the Sixers weren’t connected to KCP even more than they have been. But that appears to be changing as his name keeps coming up lately. Yahoo’s Jake Fischer named him as a fall-back plan in May. And recently ESPN’s Zach Lowe wondered about this idea of KCP to Philly as well.
I suppose if they indeed whiff on PG, OG, and others, if they can’t land a Jimmy or BI….the two-way offguard becomes more and more likely of a salary-cap acquisition. If I were KCP’s Klutch Sports agent, Rich Paul, I’d certainly tell KCP to wait and see if Philly whiffs on PG and OG before taking any low-ball extension offers from Denver.
Same may go for this next dude….
Klay Thompson
Photo by Kavin Mistry/Getty Images
Per Pompey:
“The Sixers could also gamble on Klay Thompson, who will be an unrestricted free agent. The five-time All-Star shooting guard is coming off a five-year, $189.9 million deal with the Golden State Warriors.
Thompson reportedly wants at least a three-year contract. But that could be a tough sell for a 34-year-old, who lost his starting spot late in the season and is two years removed from knee and Achilles tendon injuries.”
Klay, now 34 years old, will turn 35 in February. The four-time champ can’t move as well as he used to, but maybe he’d make a solid fallback option if everything else begins to fall apart.
So plenty to unpack. But here’s what you can be pretty sure of: Tyrese Maxey is almost certainly going to get a $205M max extension at some point this summer.
If the Sixers have their way, it’ll be well after they sign a star like PG to a max deal — despite recent Shams’ reports hinting at the contrary
I think despite recent reports, the Sixers’ Plan A is still to sign one of LeBron James, Paul George or OG Anunoby. Of the three, George seems the most likely to change teams.
If they can’t lure one of those three with a max, they’ll likely look at the price tags on trade candidates Jimmy Butler and Brandon Ingram.
If PG opts in, as Pompey hints, they may look to land him via sign-and-trade or simply acquire him and then extend mid-season— for even more money in total than they can pay him July 1. In that instance, at least the Clippers get something, and PG will make even more money in total.
But yeah, beware of the Knicks going all in this summer, cashing in some of their future draft picks haul, and acquiring two of the current Sixers’ top targets.
Finally, we have another key piece to this puzzle. Just as it felt like “Paul George to the Sixers” might actually have some legs, Shams Charania dropped off the turnbuckle to elbow-drop superteam-hungry Sixers fans.
Charania tweeted that suddenly the Sixers’ interest in Paul George has “significantly waned.”
So wait? That nine-time All-Star we’ve heard was your primary option all offseason long? Ya’ll just WANED like a crescent moon?! What happened? Did you finally listen to his whining on podcasts about having to do too much heavy lifting and too much dirty work and also not having enough help? Just too much Doc Rivers energy for ya’ll?
Many of us spent some time Thursday evening working through possibilities because no further context was provided from Shams or any other top reporters.
Did the team just get a hard ‘no’ from PG’s camp and decide to get ahead of the news cycle with some you can’t dump us we’re dumping you jawn? Is it remotely possible Daryl Morey and the Sixers actually just lost interest?
Did another more exciting player suddenly drop in price? But even still, why not leave the idea you can go grab PG using cap space alive while you haggle with Danny Ainge for Lauri Markkanen?
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst has been our go-to for intel over the last few weeks on this situation. Here is what Windy had to say on Friday morning on “Get Up,” per Austin Krell on Twitter:
“So, this is sort of setting up to the Clippers basically are positioning themselves to call Paul George’s bluff here. They have not been willing to meet Paul George’s price. He remains un-signed. You can’t just look at teams with salary cap space. If Paul George changes teams, it’s very likely going to be a situation where he opts into his contract and requests a trade. The Clippers have an offer on the table that is believed to be similar to what they gave Kawhi Leonard, which is a 3-year deal at just below the max. They believe he doesn’t want to leave LA. They believe he wants to stay in his hometown under those terms. That’s where we’re at. Is Paul George going to actually walk over getting an extra year and more money or does he want to stay where he’s comfortable alongside Kawhi Leonard? That is one of the biggest questions in the NBA as we head toward July 1. The Clippers, they have had a great opportunity here to close this deal with a full offer. They have not made it. We’ll watch how it plays out.
Prior to hearing this, I think many of us concluded the team had simply received some sort of clear signal from PG’s camp he’s not interested. And so they thought about jumping in front of the news bomb to maybe twist the narrative.
Mimics annoying talking head: the Sixers couldn’t sell Paul George or LeBron James on playing in Philadelphia back in 2018 (pauses annoyingly long for emphasis, before basically screaming into your living room) and they STRUCK OUT AGAIN in 2024!!! Daryl Morey’s stubborn pursuit of stars backfires and you in that chair are a loser for cheering for this team! Now Brandon Ingram is the fallback plan! WOMP WOMP.
Maybe they could at least spare us all, themselves, and Ingram 3 percent of that stuff?
But now it seems a lot more nuanced.
If a $221M max offer is not coming fom the Clippers, PG could still position himself for a total all-in number approaching that total if he opted in and then received a max (or near max) extension from an acquiring-via-trade team.
As of now Philly can offer him $212M. If he opted in and they traded for him then extended him the sum would be around that $220M mark.
So this hypothetical new team, if he opts in and gets moved, would then possess PG’s Bird Rights so they could offer him 8% raises — instead of the 5% raises a team like Philadelphia or Orlando can offer. The difference may “only” be about $12M, and would add some injury risk (he wouldn’t be eligible for extension for another six months so he’d have to survive through January at the earliest), but from PG’s POV, maybe you’d prefer the idea of having lots of options instead of just two or three.
Allowing teams like the New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, or perhaps Miami Heat to jump into the mix along with L.A., Philly and Orlando can’t hurt the cause, right? Then the Clippers would at least get some assets too.
“Here lies W.C. Fields: I would rather take $48M and pray for a trade than take $212M to live in Philadelphia.”
So in essence, PG may be saying: I do want a max. But I don’t reallllly want to play in Philly. I think I can get as much or even more money by steering my way to a team like the Knicks or Heat.
And in order to do so, he may have to convince the Clippers that he’d leave them if they did not trade them.
For example, “either sign-and-trade me to the Knicks for Julius Randle and picks, or I sign outright in Philly or Orlando.”
Viewed through that type of lens, assuming the Sixers offered Shams some intel yesterday, maybe you’d describe the “waning interest” bomb as both nearly true and playing some Conference Rival defense.
Throws Morey voice: “Yes, if you’re opting in we do have much, much less interest. We loved the idea of maxing you but not maxing you AND giving L.A. our draft war-chest.”
But the public messaging — leaning on Shams’ voice— also serves (using Windy’s poker bluff metaphor) as a blocking bet.
Throws Elton Brand’s voice: “if he won’t commit to us, we’re not going to let PG leverage our $212M to steer himself to the Heat or Knicks. So Shams, you tell em’ we’re probably moving on.”
Elton hangs up the phone as Morey explains the whole play to Josh Harris: “again that’s IF he opts in. If he opts in, then we’re not involved. They’ll want too many picks. But of course, we’re hoping he opts out and that our Shams bomb here decreases his leverage…then he can still take our money (winks).”
So if you’re weird like me and you have an eight-foot abacus and Ouija board you use to predict this stuff, and you enact imaginary little plays where your stuffed animals are Daryl Morey and Elton Brand talking into cell phones, then I think you have lots more to work with today than you did yesterday.
Well, the smoke that was surrounding Paul George and him possibly signing with the Sixers might not produce a flame.
Shams Charania of The Athletic is reporting that the Sixers’ interest in pursuing the nine-time All-Star “has significantly waned in recent days.”
The Philadelphia 76ers’ interest in pursuing Paul George has significantly waned in recent days, and the franchise is expected to be aggressive elsewhere with its salary cap flexibility and draft capital leading into next week’s NBA Draft, sources tell @TheAthletic@Stadium.
Numerous reports have surfaced this week that appear to be pointing towards a divorce between George and the Los Angeles Clippers, making this latest news fairly surprising. It appeared as if the Sixers had a legitimate shot at landing the veteran wing that Joel Embiid seemed to covet.
That leads us to one obvious question: What does Daryl Morey have up his sleeve?
Almost immediately after the Sixers were eliminated by the Knicks, ESPN Insider Brian Windhorst named three star-level players the team would pursue: George, Jimmy Butler and Brandon Ingram. With George seemingly crossed off the list, are we looking at a pivot to these trade options? While there hasn’t been much noise surrounding the Heat and a trade of Butler, a report from The Athletic’s Kelly Iko said that the Pelicans shopped Ingram to both the Rockets and Sixers.
If you’re looking at other free agents, the Sixers have also recently been linked to the Knicks’ OG Anunoby and Nuggets’ Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Anunoby is seemingly destined to re-sign with New York considering the president of basketball operations is the father of Anunoby’s agent, but perhaps the Sixers see a path to reuniting the veteran wing with his former coach, Nick Nurse. Caldwell-Pope has proven to be one of the better perimeter defenders in the NBA and has two championship rings on his resume. With Denver approaching the vaunted second apron in a hurry, KCP could hit the open market.
Perhaps the Alex Caruso-Josh Giddey trade will open the floodgates on trade season or maybe we’ll have to wait until next week’s draft to get a clearer picture of the Sixers’ plan.
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