Back in January when Kawhi Leonard signed with the Clippers, it was under the pretense that he would get the entire crew together. That included the franchise signing both Paul George and James Harden on new deals. PG13 himself publicly stated how the talks have opened. However, the situation has played out in a completely different direction, something no one saw coming.

According to reports, the Clippers aren’t willing to offer the aging George more than what Leonard signed for earlier this year. The veteran forward though is up for a max contract and still boasts a desirable skillset to attract teams. That has now transferred all the power from the hands of Ballmer to Paul George.

During the Uncut podcast, both Marc Stein and Chris Haynes agreed the Clippers had “misread” the situation. They believe not offering George the max $221 million contract during a draft pool with no team-altering talents could have proved to be their biggest mistake. “Paul George is in a situation where I believe he has a lot of leverage. I think he has multiple teams that are willing to give him, extend him a max level deal. I think that puts the Clippers in the bind right here,” Haynes informed on Uncut.

The Clippers’ hesitancy can be understood. PG13 is 34 years old and on a gradual decline in terms of production and potency. But while he doesn’t move as swiftly as before, it is vital to consider that he provides stability. Kawhi Leonard has been injured in both of their last two playoff runs, leaving the former Thunder forward lonely in their pursuit of the coveted chip. Considering he provides stability and a healthy season, George can easily command to be paid his max contract.

In case the Clippers don’t oblige, it won’t rattle Paul George. The ravishing wing scorer has multiple teams lining up to sign him to the exact deal he is after. The likes of the New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors have been rumored to have taken interest in the nine-time All-Star. The Knicks, who recently traded for Mikel Bridges could invest in George by offering Julius Randle and more pieces to reduce their payroll and accommodate the All-Star. The Warriors are caught in a stalemate with Klay Thompson with the trend suggesting he is looking for a move. The Bay could pair up Paul George with Stephen Curry through the flexibility of offloading Thompson.

While the hype has been rambunctious, George still prefers to stay in LA. His want is merely for a four-year deal as opposed to the shorter extent signed by his counterpart Kawhi Leonard. The most recent murmurs suggest Paul George could opt into his final season with the Clippers to force the franchise to formulate a trade for him. Whichever way it goes, it seems to spell trouble for the LA franchise.

James Harden’s LA survival depends on Paul George

The Clippers won’t just have George to worry about in the offseason. Even Harden, who was traded from the 76ers last season is an unrestricted free agent. According to Bleacher Report, the former MVP’s extension with the Clippers is contingent on them re-signing Paul George.

“With the domino of Paul George, one guy who’s waiting to see what happens is James Harden. He wants to see if Paul George remains, how many years Paul George gets, because he wants to align himself along with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George,” ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk said on Monday.

There now seem to be multifold reasons for the Clippers to provide George with his desired four-year deal. The competing strength and their roster stability all hinge on this one decision. Will the Clippers provide him with the max extension and gamble with their future or will they accept a rebuilding phase after having made promises to the Klaw?

 But before you go, be sure to check this video of Leonardo Armato’s take on the deadly duo, Shaq and Kobe.