Paul George Won’t Sign Clippers Contract in NBA Free Agency; 76ers Rumored to Be Front-Runners

As the opening day of free agency progresses, Paul George tenure with the Los Angeles Clippers appears to be concluding.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Sunday that George’s agent, Aaron Mintz of CAA, met with Clippers president Lawrence Frank for a conversation that “resulted in no new movement” toward a new contract for George. As a result, Wojnarowski reported, the Philadelphia 76ers have emerged as the front-runners to sign the veteran.

Wojnarowski also mentioned that the Clippers and George plan to part ways. The Clippers confirmed the news, releasing a statement indicating George’s intention to sign elsewhere: “Paul has informed us that he is signing his next contract with another team,” the statement read. “Paul is a tremendous talent and an elite two-way player. We feel fortunate for the five years we spent with him. Over that span, he went to three All-Star Games, made the most 3-pointers in franchise history, and helped lead the team to a place it had never been. His performances in Games 5 and 6 against Utah in 2021 won’t be forgotten by anyone associated with the Clippers.”

The statement also noted the team and George were not close on a potential new deal. “We negotiated for months with Paul and his representative on a contract that would make sense for both sides, and we were left far apart,” the statement continued. “The gap was significant. We understand and respect Paul’s decision to look elsewhere for his next contract. We explored an opt-in and trade scenario, but it would have left us in a similar position under the new CBA, with very little asset value to justify the restrictions.”

And

Paul George departure marks the end of a somewhat disappointing five-year era for the Clippers. Los Angeles’ best result was a Western Conference Finals appearance in 2021, but it also experienced two first-round exits, a second-round exit, and missed the playoffs entirely in 2022. The Clippers will now seek to replace George in free agency, while the star forward looks for a new team. Alongside the 76ers, George reportedly plans to meet with the Orlando Magic, though making the finances work may be challenging after signing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to a $66 million contract.

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