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Philadelphia 76ers‘ top target Paul George addressed his looming big decision this offseason following the Los Angeles Clippers‘ disappointing first-round exit in the NBA Playoffs.
“I’m not even focused on that yet,” George told reporters when asked about his future. “I got a lot to kind of digest myself, so I haven’t even got to that yet. Look forward to kind of going back, just letting everything kind of decompress, talk to my family, be around family support and then address the next step. … Yeah, it’s just not where I’m there. I’m not there yet.”
While George spoke about continuity as the key to winning a championship in the NBA today, he remained mum on the ongoing contract negotiations with the Clippers.
Asked if he views himself running it back with Kawhi Leonard and James Harden next season, he responded positively but with a caveat.
“Yeah,” George said. “If it works that way, absolutely.”
The big “if” is what the Sixers are banking on as they prepare to use their massive cap space to acquire him to form a Big Three with Joel Embiid and Most Improved Player Tyrese Maxey.
George, 34, is looking for his last big payday. He has yet to agree to an extension with the Clippers and could decline his $48.8 player option for next season to become an unrestricted free agent, which the Sixers are hoping he would do.
Clippers Concerned with Sixers’ Interest in Paul George
According to Substack’s NBA insider Marc Stein, the Sixers and the Orlando Magic are the top two teams with massive cap space who are eyeing to add George this summer.
But between the two teams, the Clippers are more concerned with the Sixers.
“They are seen as the foremost threat on the NBA map to swipe Paul George away from the Clippers. The Orlando Magic also have to be in that conversation, but it’s the 76ers who have the Clippers most concerned here, and I’m talking about long-term concerns,” Stein said on on #thisleague UNCUT podcast on May 3.
The Magic could reach as much as $66 million in cap space while the Sixers have the potential to have almost $56 million in cap space, according to Bleacher Report’s salary cap guru Eric Pincus.
But the Sixers have more star power in Embiid and Maxey.
Sixers Believed to Throw Max Money at Paul George
The Sixers are believed to offer George his four-year max deal worth $212.2 million if he enters unrestricted free agency. The Clippers can trump as they are the only team who can offer a four-year, $221 million extension through June 30.
“I think Philly is going to come out with a max offer to Paul George,” Windhorst said on “Get Up” on May 3. “The Clippers are going have to decide max [contract for George] or not, and Paul George is going to have to decide, ‘Do I want to stay [with the Clippers] or not.'”
The Clippers are hoping George would accept a hometown discount after Leonard accepted a three-year, $150 million extension, which is below the four-year extension worth up to an estimated $223 million which he was eligible to sign.
