Los Angeles Clippers’ Paul George works towards the Dallas Mavericks in Sport 2 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff sequence in Dallas, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Picture/Tony Gutierrez)
Paul George is leaving the Los Angeles Clippers, his now-former group introduced Sunday night time, with all indicators pointing to the nine-time NBA All-Star maybe returning to the Japanese Convention and becoming a member of the Philadelphia 76ers.
George may command greater than $200 million over 4 years if his subsequent contract is for max worth.
“Paul has knowledgeable us that he’s signing his subsequent contract with one other group,” the Clippers mentioned in a launch Sunday night time.
READ: NBA: Clippers signal coach Tyronn Lue to new long-term deal
The group added, “We negotiated for months with Paul and his consultant on a contract that will make sense for each side, and we have been left far aside. The hole was vital. We perceive and respect Paul’s determination to look elsewhere for his subsequent contract.”
George had a $48.8 million choice for this coming season however didn’t train it, getting into free company — which opened Sunday night time — as a substitute. It was believed there was an opportunity that George and the Clippers may have nonetheless gotten one thing completed, however the group made clear that these hopes are gone.
“We are going to miss Paul,” the Clippers mentioned.
At 34, George remains to be elite — averaging 22.6 factors this previous season, the ninth consecutive season through which he has averaged a minimum of 20 factors per recreation.
In the meantime, James Harden is staying with the Clippers on a two-year contract that features a participant choice, an individual with data of that call instructed The Related Press earlier Sunday.
READ: James Harden set to stick with Clippers as NBA free company opens
Harden’s deal — which may very well be price as much as $70 million if he opts into 2025-26 — was agreed upon in precept earlier than free company technically began, mentioned the one who spoke to AP on situation of anonymity as a result of neither Harden nor the Clippers had introduced the settlement.
Harden, a 10-time NBA All-Star, averaged 16.6 factors and eight.5 assists final season for the Clippers, who will transfer into their new Intuit Dome house when this coming season begins.
Elsewhere, veteran guard Chris Paul goes to group up with rookie of the 12 months Victor Wembanyama in San Antonio on a one-year deal, an individual with data of that settlement mentioned.
Paul was waived earlier Sunday by the Golden State Warriors, who would have needed to pay him $30 million for the approaching season in any other case. ESPN reported the Spurs pays Paul round $11 million. The 39-year-old Paul averaged 9.2 factors and 6.8 assists in 58 video games with the Warriors final season.
READ: NBA: Chris Paul becoming a member of Victor Wembanyana at Spurs
And Kentavious Caldwell-Pope goes to carry his championship expertise to the Orlando Magic, a group that made a giant leap this previous season and now could be attempting to turn into a fair stronger contender within the East.
Caldwell-Pope — a two-time champion guard — was finalizing a three-year, $66 million take care of the Magic, an individual with data of the choice mentioned. The particular person spoke on situation of anonymity to AP as a result of the deal can’t be finalized till the league’s offseason moratorium is lifted on July 6.
It’s a giant get for the rising Magic, who gained 47 video games — their most in 13 years — and received again to the playoffs this previous season. Caldwell-Pope was a part of title-winning groups with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020 and the Denver Nuggets in 2023. He averaged 10.1 factors for the Nuggets this previous season whereas capturing almost 41% from 3-point vary.
In different strikes Sunday:
— Kevin Love was finishing a brand new two-year contract with the Miami Warmth price about $8 million, an individual with data of that deal instructed AP, the transfer coming in the future after he didn’t decide into what would have been a $4 million contract for this coming season with the membership. Love had mentioned repeatedly final season that he has no intentions of leaving Miami.
— Andre Drummond agreed to a two-year contract price about $10 million (the second 12 months as an choice) to affix the Philadelphia 76ers, a group that he appeared in 49 video games for through the 2021-22 season. Drummond spent the final two seasons in Chicago — he averaged 8.4 factors and 9.0 rebounds this previous season in solely 17 minutes per recreation — and could be priceless insurance coverage alongside Joel Embiid within the 76ers’ big-man rotation. “I’m within the temper for a Philly cheesesteak,” Drummond posted on social media.
— Obi Toppin is being rewarded properly for his sturdy first season with Indiana. An individual with data of the settlement mentioned he and the Pacers have been finalizing a four-year deal price almost $60 million. Toppin averaged a career-best 10.3 factors final season, his first with Indiana after three years in New York.
— Promising wing Max Christie is returning to the Los Angeles Lakers with a four-year, $32 million contract, an individual with data of the deal instructed AP. The 21-year-old Christie averaged 3.8 factors, 2.0 rebounds and 0.8 assists throughout his first two NBA seasons.
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— The NBA set the wage cap at at $140.588 million for the 2024-25 season, down barely — about $400,000 or so — from what groups had been instructed to count on. The tax stage was set at $170.814 million, the primary apron stage might be $178.132 million, the second apron stage might be $188.931 million, the non-taxpayer mid-level is $12.822 million, the taxpayer mid-level is $5.168 million, and the room mid-level is $7.983 million.
