At the start of the offseason, LA Clippers wing Paul George was player most frequently linked to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Although George isn’t a free agent, he has a player option looming, which he still has yet to make a decision on. All signs were pointing to George taking one of two paths. One, reaching an extension with the Clippers and avoiding the free agency field.
Two, declining the option and creating a bidding war between the Clippers, Sixers, and other teams.
Recently, the narrative has shifted a bit. While nothing should be ruled out on the George front at this time, there’s been speculation George could accept his option and request a sign-and-trade. It could be a helpful scenario for the Clippers, and could open the market even further.
For the Sixers, though, it appears their interest has swayed a bit. While Philadelphia should still be counted in as potential George suitors, it appears that they are not entering a George-or-bust offseason. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst speculates the Sixers might’ve accepted the idea that George’s desire to relocate across the country is low.
“I’m not so sure Paul George really wanted to leave the West Coast,” Windhorst said on the Hoop Collective Podcast. “I think that was something Philadelphia kind of ran into when they kicked the tires there.”
The idea that George may be hesitant to move out East was always a question mark when it became apparent the Clippers All-Star could kick around the idea of leaving early. Recently, that thought has become more relevant.
George is a California-born veteran, who played high school and college hoops in the state. He left after getting drafted by the Indiana Pacers in 2010.
After seven seasons in Indiana, George joined the OKC Thunder for two years. Ahead of the 2019-2020 season, he was moved to the LA Clippers, where he spent the last five years. Leaving the Clippers is still a possibility for PG, but another California-based team has reportedly entered the picture in the Golden State Warriors.
With Western Conference teams also showing interest, it makes life hard for Philadelphia to compete in the George sweepstakes. In the NBA you should never say never when it comes to relocating superstars, but the Sixers seem to be in a tough spot for their pursuit of PG.