As the official start of NBA Free Agency inches closer and closer by the minute, there's no shortage of speculation already as to where all of the big name players may end up going. Two of the most recognizable names and impactful players whose fates are both up in the air are Paul George of the Los Angeles Clippers and DeMar DeRozan of the Chicago Bulls. Combined, George and DeRozan have scored over 41,000 career points, made 15 NBA All-Star game appearances, and raked in over $600 million in NBA contracts over the course of their respective careers.
It's not just that Paul George and DeMar DeRozan are both free agents, both from Southern California, and both increasingly likely to leave their current teams, it's that their fates are semi-related, at least according to one long-time NBA insider. According to reports, contract discussions between DeRozan and the Bulls have gone nowhere, and in Los Angeles, the Clippers have yet to give in and offer Paul George a max deal. Numerous teams have been linked to George over the last few weeks, and if he does decide to leave LA for any one of them, it could mean the Clippers will be ready to pounce on DeRozan.
“It is believed that DeMar DeRozan, with no discernible momentum since the NBA Finals toward a new contract from the Bulls, is likely to wait until George makes his decision to get a better feel for his non-Chicago options,” Marc Stein wrote in his The Stein Line newsletter. “Could DeRozan emerge as the Clippers' replacement for George if they ultimately need one? He obviously doesn't play the same 3-and-D game as George, but he's another highly productive Southern Californian who has been more durable. DeRozan, 34, has missed only 17 games combined in his three seasons as a Bull.”
If the Clippers were DeMar DeRozan's landing spot, he would be teaming up with Kawhi Leonard six years after he and Leonard were traded for one another in a deal that ended up swinging the 2019 NBA Championship. It would also mean that after years of flirtation, DeRozan would finally be able to return to California and play in his home state.
Where do Paul George, DeMar DeRozan end up?
As things stand right now, it appears as if it will be a three-horse race for the services of Paul George during the 2024-25 season and beyond. George has meetings lined up with the Clippers, the Orlando Magic, and the Philadelphia 76ers, who most around the league view as the front-runner in the Paul George sweepstakes. However, recent comments that George has made about young Orlando Magic star Paolo Banchero have given fans in central Florida reason for hope.
DeMar DeRozan has really only been linked to a return to the Bulls or a return back home to Southern California. The Clippers are expected to be the primary suitor, but don't sleep on that other team that plays in Los Angeles. If LeBron James does end up taking a significant pay cut in order to bolster the Lakers roster, don't be surprised if DeRozan considers the Purple and Gold. He's been rumored as a potential Lakers target in the past, and theoretically, the Lakers present a more clear path to an NBA Title than the Clippers without Paul George would.
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