Paul George will be the most coveted free agent in a fairly impressive pool this off-season.
That is if he makes it that far.
His current team, the Los Angeles Clippers, is not out of the running to retain his services, a topic that headlines this collection of rumors and innuendo from around the NBA.
Joining the latest on George and the Clippers are an update on Klay Thompson and a potential return to his team, as well as the latest on a potential draft trade for one of the most coveted players in this year’s crop of young, potential game-changers.
Paul George remains the top free agent in this year’s class, with the 76ers and Magic both linked to him for the last month.
Despite the heavy interest from those two known teams amid likely others, his current team appears ready and willing to do what they can to keep him.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Los Angeles Clippers are determined to keep George and James Harden in free agency.
Not only do those two, coupled with Kawhi Leonard, give the team the best chance to compete in a jam-packed Western Conference, but George’s star power is a necessity for a Clippers team preparing to move into their state-of-the-art Intuit Dome in 2024.
Throw in his 33.8 minutes, 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.5 steals, and he becomes almost irreplaceable for a team looking to take a major step in establishing its own identity in the City of Angels by competing for an NBA title.
His 47.1 field goal and 41.3 three-point percentages certainly do not hurt.
There is a reason the former Pacer will be as coveted as he is this off-season, not to mention why his current team will likely do everything it can to prevent him from even considering moving on.
Despite insistence by the Golden State Warriors that they want Klay Thompson back next season, the team has not shown any real urgency to get a deal done with the future Hall of Famer, The Athletic’s Anthony Slater reported.
“The Warriors maintain a desire to retain Thompson at the right price once other aspects of their roster retool get clarified. But they haven’t exactly been beating down his door to work out the framework for an extension (which can be signed at any time),” Slater wrote.
The team’s decision not to target him immediately may backfire as Thompson appears ready to test free agency and will be met with offers from teams needing a high-powered shooter.
Thompson has been linked to the Orlando Magic since the end of the Warriors’ season. A youthful team that made the playoffs this season but lacked a consistent long-range scorer, it would immediately improve with the signing of the 34-year-old.
Should Thompson and the Warriors move on, it would essentially be the end of a dynasty in the NBA.
The Warriors won four Larry O’Brien trophies from 2015-22 while Thompson, Steph Curry, and Draymond Green established themselves as one of the greatest trios in league history.
Along the way, Thompson earned his spot among the greatest three-point shooters ever, making 2481, or 41.3 percent, of his attempts.
The idea of Thompson in any jersey but that of the Warriors seems ludicrous. As he decompresses from what was a frustrating season at times, and takes in the idea that the only team he has ever known is not yet breaking down his door to get a deal done, the possibility that it happens grows greater.
Jonathan Givony of ESPN reported that the Houston Rockets are expected to heavily pursue trade partners in the 2024 NBA Draft, with the Chicago Bulls, Memphis Grizzlies, and Portland Trailblazers all in the mix.
The target?
UConn center Donovan Clingan.
The 20-year-old “brings size, length, defensive prowess, nonstop intensity and passing ability along with a back-to-back national championship pedigree,” Givony wrote.
He also brings a field goal percentage of 64.5, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks in just over 17 minutes per game in his college career.
All three teams mentioned as potential trade partners with the Rockets are searching for a center to become a dominant middle force.
Clingan had an exponentially better 2023-24 season than his previous one, making improvements in nearly every measurable category while setting himself up to be one of the players who hears his name called early on in this year’s draft.
Whether he falls to Portland at No. 7 or is the third overall pick because of a team making an offer the Rockets cannot refuse is the question.
Regardless, he will have an opportunity to get playing time early and often for a team that needs youth and a considerable upgrade at one of the most important positions on the court.