The first domino has fallen in the Paul George sweepstakes. The Los Angeles Clippers star has decided to opt out of his player option, which means he's headed towards free agency. While this does not mean George is out of LA, it does close the door on the opt-in-and-trade scenarios being bandied about and means George will either sign somewhere new outright or work out a sign-and-trade with the Clippers. So, how do the Philadelphia 76ers feel about George's decision?
Well, it seems like the Philly front office is more optimistic about their chances after George's opt-out, per Marc Stein. With the Golden State Warriors' chances all but gone after this decision, the team is hoping that they will have a serious chance of prying PG away from sunny Los Angeles.
“The Philadelphia 76ers have a significant measure of renewed hope in their bid to win the Paul George Sweepstakes. Despite a persistent belief around the league that staying with the Clippers is his true preference and that George does not want to move away from the West Coast, Philadelphia will now have a real opportunity to sign him away outright with its maximum salary cap space projected to exceed $60 million … as well as their apparent willingness to furnish a four-year offer.”
Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes confirmed later Sunday that there's “growing optimism” about the 76ers landing George, with Stein following up his initial report by saying they're also exploring the possibility of signing both George and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. While that seems a bit far-fetched given how much money needed to sign both players, never say never.
The 76ers, Magic, and Clippers are the “finalists” to sign Paul George in free agency. While it's not a guarantee, that means that Philly has a real chance of snagging PG. Their main asset is their cap space: the Sixers are poised to be able to give George his desired four-year deal. So far, rumors indicate that the Clippers are only willing to give three right now.
76ers' chances in PG sweepstakes
Paul George has reportedly expressed his desire to stay in Los Angeles. Many officials believe that staying in his hometown is his priority. That being said, his decision to forego his player option throws that decision into disarray. After contract discussions have stalled, George is leveraging his free agency as a chance to get that contract from Los Angeles. He wants a fourth year from the Clippers that they haven't been willing to offer.
“It has long been believed that George, as a proud Southern California native, hopes to extend his stay in Clipperland despite his five-month struggles to generate the sort of contract he was hoping for. But free agency is almost here now and Philadelphia is intent on signing an elite two-way wing player who would join Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey in forming a three-man core that enables the 76ers to compete for a championship.”
Should the 76ers land Paul George, they would form an intriguing Big 3. Tyrese Maxey came into his own last season as an All-Star point guard after James Harden's departure. Joel Embiid, for all of the criticism of his style of play, is still an MVP-caliber center and a top-five player. George will give this team a much-needed boost with their perimeter defense, as well as his elite scoring and shooting from the outside.
Based on the latest reporting, the momentum is building toward Paul George signing with Philadelphia. Could the 76ers also get Kentavious Caldwell-Pope on top of that? Again, while it's unlikely given what the Orlando Magic can offer, stay tuned.
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