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Clippers star Paul George has until Saturday to exercise the $48.7-million option on his contract as the two sides have been unable to work out a contract extension. (Tony Gutierrez / Associated Press)
The biggest news for the Clippers on Thursday wasn’t the drafting of Minnesota guard Cam Christie in the second round at No. 46, but the uncertainty of Paul George and his future with the team.
George has a player option for $48.7 million and has to let the Clippers know by Saturday whether he’ll opt in for next season. He can become a free agent if the Clippers are unable to come to an agreement on an extension before Sunday. He’s seeking a four-year deal worth $221 million. So far, the two sides have not been able to get a deal done.
Read more: Clippers select Minnesota guard Cam Christie with the No. 46 pick of NBA draft
“We love Paul,” said Lawrence Frank, the Clippers’ president of basketball operations. “We very much want to retain Paul, but we also very much understand and respect the fact this is a business and players have a finite amount of time to be able to not just make the most amount of money, but to be able to pursue whatever they want.
“We hope Paul’s decision is to be here. He’s been awesome. He’s been an All-Star three of the five years. He’s one of the best two-way players in the league. He’s a terrific person. He’s got a great family, so we hope he’s here. But also respect the fact that if he chooses to opt out, that’s his choice. He’s earned it and we’ll see how things play out.”
When Kawhi Leonard agreed last season to a three-year extension for $152 million, the Clippers had conversations with George about a similar deal. Leonard turns 33 on Saturday. George is 34.
The Clippers are a second-apron team — meaning, they’ve surpassed a second tier of spending, triggering certain restrictions under the new collective bargaining agreement — which makes it very hard for them to make deals.
Clippers star Paul George looks up at a video board during a game against Minnesota in March. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
“When your better players are in their 30s…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/clippers-talking-measured-tones-paul-013434897.html
Author : LA Times
Publish date : 2024-06-28 01:34:34
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