With free agency in full swing, Paul George became the latest star attraction on the market. The former Clippers star is now an unrestricted free agent and with interest high on the 10-time NBA All-Star, it is only a matter of time before the tug-of-war begins.

Paul George’s decision to opt out of his $48.7 million player option means the Clippers now get nothing in return for the forward and their chance of trading him is gone. But amid this drama, experts are finding the shades of last year. In the summer of 2023, James Harden was in a similar situation before he was traded to the Clippers.

This was a subject of conversation during a recent episode of The Hoop Collective. Brian Windhorst was joined by Tim Bontemps and Tim MacMahon to discuss the situation. “James Harden didn’t have a home. He had a temper tantrum and opted in and then had to try to figure out what to do,” Bontemps said, trying to establish a similar ground about the scenarios. But he was cut short by Windhorst, who dismissed the comparison completely.

James Harden’s much-publicized feud with Daryl Morey was ugly, to say the least. In the offseason, Harden accused Daryl Morey of being a liar and vowed to never play for the Sixers again. He was then traded to the Clippers after opting for his player option. Paul George had a similar chance to do so but that didn’t happen. George is already in free agency after opting out of his player option and now the interested parties have their chance to give him the max contract he wants. But which franchises have that cap flexibility to offer PG13 a big money deal?

Looking at potential Paul George landing spots

Before Paul George decided to opt out, there were heavy links with the Warriors. Chris Paul had his contract option deadline extended just so the franchise could work out a trade. With George in free agency, that window of opportunity is now closed. On top of that, the Warriors are hard-capped to give a max deal to the 34-year-old. So this is effectively the end of the Warriors’ Paul George pursuit.

So who are the other teams with a chance of landing George? The biggest name involved in the Paul George chasing pack is the Sixers. The Philly side have been in a “Win Now” for a year or so but were unable to deliver. The franchise is targeting a third star alongside Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid and George fits the bill. Despite Shams Charania mentioning the Sixers’ waning interest in Paul, the free agency move is certain to reinvigorate that.

The Rockets also are in an overdrive mode and will be a strong pursuer of Paul George. They have the cap space to pull off the move, and now they can conserve their draft picks, which would’ve been hampered in case of a trade. The Magic are also in the mix as the franchise is looking to build on their playoff performance last season. But one thing is certain, the situation is in control of only Paul George now, and he is in a “may the best deal win” mindset. Let us know in the comments which team you think will land Paul George!

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