Highlights
- With Paul George’s intentions unclear in free agency, the Los Angeles Clippers have been in trade talks about their All-Star forward.
- The Golden State Warriors have been the team at the forefront of conversations regarding a deal for George, but the Clippers want a large haul in return for George.
- The Warriors have several young and talented players to offer for George, and the Clippers will not take the team’s lower-end prospects and will demand great young pieces and draft capital.
The Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Clippers have been linked together through rumors surrounding Paul George and his potential next destination. As a possible unrestricted free agent, pending the decline of his $48,787,676 player option for the 2024-25 season, the Clippers have been faced with a tough decision.
|
Paul George Stats – 2023-24 |
|
|---|---|
|
Category |
Stat |
|
PTS |
22.6 |
|
EFG% |
56.9% |
|
3PT% |
41.3% |
|
PER |
19.3 |
Depending on George is feeling towards the franchise, they’ll either need to trade him for value or let him walk in free agency for nothing. Of course, they’d most likely rather go down the trade road, but the Warriors, the team that seems to want George most, would have to give up loads of young talent and draft capital. After all, the team doesn’t want to help a division rival for little cost.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, a respected NBA insider, recently spoke about the Clippers’ motivations in pursuing a Paul George trade with the Warriors, and he predicts that completing a deal will be very challenging between the two Western Conference clubs. If George is dealt to Golden State, Windhorst expects a large haul for the Clippers in return.
“I think it’s going to be really, really hard [to put together a trade]. The Clippers are not super interested in helping out the Warriors. If they are interested, they’re going to want a gigantic price for Paul George.” – Brian Windhorst
In order to land George and be competitive once again, the team may have to part ways with their best recent draft selections.
Paul George’s Price Tag for Golden State
The Clippers will accrue a crop of young talent if George is dealt
For a player of George’s caliber, a nine-time NBA All-Star and one of the league’s best two-way players of the last decade, future assets would have to be part of the deal, but the Clippers might become greedy, seeing that Golden State possesses some talented players that are all 23-years-old and younger.
For one, Golden State’s Jonathan Kuminga would have to be a part of the trade for the Clippers, as he’s looked at as one of the most promising young wings in the league. Kuminga broke out for the Warriors in 2023-24, putting together a stretch of eight 20-plus-point games from January 12 to February 2, showcasing that he can consistently produce at a high level.
|
Jonathan Kuminga Stats – 2023-24 |
|
|---|---|
|
Category |
Stat |
|
PTS |
16.1 |
|
REB |
4.8 |
|
EFG% |
56.0% |
|
FG% 0-3 feet |
74.9% |
Along with Kuminga, Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis would also enter the discussions. Podziemski and Jackson-Davis specifically, were one of the best rookie duos in the league last season, as Podziemski made the All-Rookie First Team, and Jackson-Davis slightly missed out on the second team. For Los Angeles, a haul including most of, if not all of these pieces may be on the table.
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