The Warriors did everything in their power to acquire Paul George this offseason.
Well, almost everything.
The Warriors were reportedly close to acquiring the nine-time NBA All-Star before George agreed to a five-year, $204 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers after opting out of his contract with the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday, eliminating any chance of Golden State acquiring him.
ESPN's Ramona Shelburne reported in a feature article on Tuesday, citing sources, that George was eager to join the Warriors and there were multiple instances where a deal seemed likely to be done as negotiations progressed at the executive and ownership levels.
However, Shelburne said Golden State declined to include young forward Jonathan Kuminga in a trade for George.
“The Warriors offered multiple combinations of expiring contracts, young players and an unconditional 2027 first-round pick, sources said,” Shelburne wrote. “The Clippers countered by asking for prized young player Jonathan Kuminga, sources said. The Warriors resisted because Kuminga was so important to their future, but also because they worried sacrificing too much to acquire George would discourage him from joining the Warriors.”
“It looked like the two teams might reach a deal on several occasions, as talks took place at both the ownership and executive levels, but the two sides could not find common ground when it came to the financial impact for the Clippers. As with George, LA was adamant that it would not take on a contract that would take it beyond the second apron unless there was a good reason to do so, the source said.”
However, Tim Kawakami of The Athletic reported Saturday that the Warriors' offer to George consisted of some combination (but not all) of Andrew Wiggins, Chris Paul, Kuminga and/or Moses Moody and a future first-round pick, likely the 2027 first-round pick Shelburne was referring to.
It's unclear if the Warriors actually included Kuminga in any trade package due to conflicting reports, but it's clear that Golden State values the rising star highly and considers him an integral part of the team's future.
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