Warriors News: Joe Lacob’s Paul George Dream Comes Crashing Down as EC Rivals Prepare to Fulfil $221 Million Demand

Joe Lacob and the Golden State Warriors have had a disastrous couple of hours. First, they were forced to prepare for their franchise cornerstone, Klay Thompson‘s exit in free agency. Then, even more crushing news hit them. GSW believed Paul George could form a new core alongside an aging Stephen Curry & Draymond Green in the Bay Area. But PG-13 has now decided to snub them of an opportunity to talk terms in free agency, giving them a bitter pill to swallow.

Paul George has been in free agency buzz ever since the Clippers got eliminated from the playoffs this past season. The 34-year-old’s looming contract extension took a devastating turn, eventually leading him to free agency. However, while the Warriors aggressively pursued the 9x All-Star for over a month, it’s been reported he is eying a stint with 2 EC rivals if a deal with the LA side doesn’t work out.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, George is set to take free agency meetings with the Philadelphia 76ers, Orlando Magic, and naturally the Clippers themselves. While Magic emerged as a surprise team, the Sixers have been on the hunt for that 3rd star to accompany Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. Although their interest was reportedly ‘waning’, George’s plans clearly seem to have Philly in the mix.

The Warriors were prepared to trade for George if a sign-and-trade opportunity presented itself. However, The Clippers cannot consider a sign-and-trade as it would hard cap them in the first apron.

With Stephen Curry and Co. seemingly out of contention, the Clippers would love to have their star forward back. But can their desire outweigh the significant advantage the Magic & 76ers have over them?

Will Paul George return to LA?

The Los Angeles Clippers signed Paul George in 2019 with the hopes of winning multiple championships. A Kawhi Leonard-Paul George frontcourt seemed like a guaranteed push for the Clippers’ first-ever banner. However, multiple failed playoff runs later, the Clippers stand in an uncomfortable position to boast any real achievement. PG-13 has expressed that he is eying a 4-year $221 million contract with the Clippers or a $212 million deal elsewhere.

The Magic and the 76ers have an edge over the Clippers in terms of cap space. While the LA side is a projected second-apron team, Orlando and Philly have a cap space of $50M and $65M, respectively. This serves as a major advantage to land the 34-year-old if the Clippers fail to reach a deal with him. This puts the LA-based franchise in a major spot of bother.

Paul George returning to LA seems almost impossible with the situation the Clippers have put themselves in. However, a mutual interest does not seem far-fetched, given that the Clippers are still strong contenders for the Championship. The ball is in Paul George’s court.

Should he decide to leave, his 22.6 ppg. alongside 5.2 boards’ average won’t be easy to replace. Tobias Harris (help from outside PG-13’s position), DeMar DeRozan (unrestricted free agent- also the closest like-for-like replacement), and Brandon Ingram (a decent sign-and-trade option with a further growth opportunity)

What will he choose to do? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what brand maker, Leonard Armato, had to say about the deadly duo, Shaq and Kobe, check out this video