The Los Angeles Clippers have a major Paul George dilemma in their hands this summer. LA is in danger of losing the nine-time All-Star in NBA free agency with George having a player option on his contract for the upcoming season.
That is, unless the Clippers are able to negotiate a contract extension with their superstar forward, George could very well walk away and leave LA with absolutely nothing.
Los Angeles Clippers Planning for Life After Paul George
The top priority for the Clippers is to retain George’s services. In this respect, they will need to fend off suitors in free agency, with the Philadelphia 76ers emerging as a serious threat.
LA will need to consider all possibilities, including losing George in free agency. As such, they will need to come up with a contingency plan. According to NBA insider Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, this plan could involve Chicago Bulls swingman DeMar DeRozan:
“There’s a belief around the league that DeRozan will ultimately re-sign with the Bulls, given the team’s continued desire to compete, his role, and Chicago’s willingness to pay him.
“However, one team worth monitoring as a potential suitor for DeRozan via sign-and-trade is the Los Angeles Clippers, should the franchise fail to re-sign Paul Georgein free agency, HoopsHype has learned,” Scotto wrote.
For the Clippers, DeRozan should be a cheaper option than George. LA reportedly wants to re-sign PG on a contract that is within the range of Kawhi Leonard’s three-year, $153 million extension. If this does not meet George’s self-valuation, then a big chunk of this budget will likely be headed in DeRozan’s direction.
That is, of course, under the premise that the Compton native is willing to leave Chicago for a potential LA homecoming.
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