Getty Paul George reacts to a made three-pointer during an April 7 game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Following their first 50-win season since 2013, the New York Knicks are prime candidates to swing a blockbuster move. Could they pull off a deal for Paul George?
FanDuel proposed a trade for the nine-time All-Star on X, formerly known as Twitter.
PG13 to the Big Apple? 🍎
Should the Knicks and Clippers make this trade to send Paul George to NYC? 🤔
Knicks receive: George, PJ Tucker
Clippers receive: Bojan Bogdanovic, Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson, 24th pick (2024 NBA Draft), 2026 first-round pick
George has a player option for the 2024-2025 season. But as extension talks with the LA Clippers stall, teams are monitoring his future.
Marc Stein was first to report New York as a potential suitor for George.
“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 $48.8 million,” Stein wrote in his June 23 newsletter. “That step would position George to push for a trade to another team.”
George is coming off of his fifth season in Los Angeles, arguably his best. He averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.5 steals in 74 regular-season games.
Begley: Knicks Have ‘Long Had George On Their Radar’
SNY’s Ian Begley reports that the Knicks’ interest in George predates this summer.
“You’re looking at Paul George,” Begley said on June 24. “I think in many ways, the offseason starts there. Is he going to get the four-year max that he’s looking for from the Clippers? If not, is he gonna get it from Philadelphia? The Knicks have long had George on their radar, going back to last offseason. They even talked about him during the season, prior to the trade deadline.”
Because they waited, New York is now limited in it’s avenues to acquire the 34-year-old. Fred Katz covered the “only” way the Knicks can acquire George in a column for The Athletic.
“The Knicks don’t have the cap space to do so,” Katz wrote on June 14. “And because the Clippers are so expensive, above the second apron, new rules prevent them from signing and trading him. New York’s only avenue to acquire George would be for him to opt into his $48.8 million player option for 2024-25, then have LA work out a trade.”
It sounds like an opt-in and trade request is the route George is eyeing.
Stein: ‘Growing Feeling’ George Opts In and Requests Trade
Marc Stein reported on the growing likelihood of George exercising his 2024-2025 player option in a June 24 newsletter.
“There is a growing feeling leaguewide that the 34-year-old picking up his $48.8 million player option for next season to force the Clippers to trade him is an increasingly realistic scenario after months of fruitless contract extension negotiations between the parties,” Stein wrote. “The Clippers appear unwilling to offer a richer deal to George than Kawhi Leonard received in January ($150 million-ish over three seasons) and that has encouraged teams out there to make trade pitches for the All-NBA swingman.”
Stein went on to list the Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, and Philadelphia 76ers as suitors to monitor.
With an offer like the FanDuel proposal, New York can compete with any of the reported teams. Whether they’re willing to part with Randle in such a deal remains unclear.