The Los Angeles Clippers released a statement on Sunday night saying that Paul George has informed them he will be playing for another team.
“Paul has informed us that he will be signing his next contract with another NBA team,” the Clippers' statement read. “Paul is an incredible talent and a premium two-way player, and we are fortunate to have had the opportunity to spend the last five years with him.”
The team cited “significant” gaps in the negotiations as the reason the meeting with George failed.
“We negotiated with Paul and his representatives for months and came to a mutually agreeable agreement, but the differences were significant. The gulf was wide.”
“We understand and respect Paul's decision to pursue his next contract elsewhere.”
The Clippers also noted that a trade scenario wouldn't make sense for the team.
“The company considered opt-in and trade scenarios, but would have found itself in a similar situation under the new CBA with little asset value to justify restrictions,” the statement read.
The Clippers made the announcement shortly after NBA free agent negotiations began on Sunday night.
Paul George to move to the Sixers?
George, who opted out of his contract on Saturday and became an unrestricted free agent, has reportedly agreed to a maximum contract with the Philadelphia 76ers.
George continues to be a high-caliber two-way player at age 34. Last season, he averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals while shooting 47.1 percent from the field and a career-best 41.3 percent from 3-point range. He earned his ninth All-Star team and is helping Philadelphia win the NBA championship by teaming with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
Another Clippers era ends without a title
This development marks the end of an era in Los Angeles and the failure of their efforts to build a championship team around George and Kawhi Leonard.
The Clippers acquired George in a blockbuster trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2019. Los Angeles sent Oklahoma City a package that included five first-round draft picks, two draft swaps, Danilo Gallinari and, most notably, two-time All-NBA First Team selection and MVP finalist Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The trade helped the Thunder become a championship contender with one of the league's most promising roster.
The Clippers made a big move to acquire George after signing Leonard as a free agent. Leonard had just led the Toronto Raptors to an NBA championship and paired with George to form one of the most potent one-two punches in the NBA.
The Clippers were never able to translate that duo into a championship contender. Both stars were plagued by injuries and the Clippers never made it to the NBA Finals. George and Leonard led the Clippers to the Western Conference Finals in 2021, but they lost to the Phoenix Suns.
The Clippers haven't won a playoff series since then, missed the 2022 playoffs with Leonard sidelined with a torn ACL, and failed to get past the first round in either of the past two seasons.
“We made numerous trades in an attempt to pair Paul with Kawhi, but instead contended for five seasons,” the Clippers' statement said. “While we fell short of our ultimate goal, we are grateful for the opportunity with Paul.”
With George gone, the Clippers must rebuild around Leonard and James Harden, who reportedly agreed to a two-year, $70 million contract to return to the Clippers on Sunday, and the Clippers were reported to have made moves late Sunday to fill the wing gap. Three-year, $30 million contract The team also signed former Dallas Mavericks forward Derrick Jones Jr. and former Houston Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr., who missed last season in the NBA due to domestic violence allegations.
George's departure puts a damper on the planned opening of the Intuit Dome next season when the Clippers will move to their own arena in Inglewood after sharing the venue with the Lakers since moving to Los Angeles in 1984.
