Why letting Paul George walk and saying no to the Warriors made sense for the Clippers
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Saying goodbye to Paul George was one thing.
The LA Clippers decided in early July to take a hard line in negotiations with the 34-year-old, who wanted a four-year deal worth up to $212 million that he would instead get from the Philadelphia 76ers. The prospect of paying him nearly $60 million at age 37 — especially considering his health history during his five years in LA — was a nightmare scenario the Clippers wanted to avoid.
Ditto for the no-trade clause that George wanted and was denied. Add to that the long-term planning component: a four-year max deal for George would have gone a year beyond the term of Kawhi Leonard’s deal while cutting too deep into valuable salary cap space that could be better used for younger superstars who might be later. available – and you start to understand why the nine-time All-Star wore a Sixers jersey before him reunion game at Intuit Dome on Wednesday evening.
GO DEEPER
Clippers fans cheer Paul George in return; 76ers star has no ‘ill will’
Even if this Leonard-led era never materializes — and the record speaks for itself at this point — the Clippers protected their ability to be great again in the summer of 2027. And now that teams like the Bucks and Sixers have gone all in on their problematic three-star plans that are currently failing miserably, a case can be made that the Clippers’ vision will pay off.
Even if it was just for one night, it didn’t seem like these Clippers needed George in their 110-98 victory. Norm Powell, the guard who replaced George in the starting lineup and who considered George’s departure “addition by subtraction” in the preseason he had 26 points (while hitting six 3s) and six assists, while outscoring his former teammate (George had 18 points and seven rebounds).
The newcomer who wouldn’t be here if George had stayed, Derrick Jones Jr., was one of several productive role players who played a crucial role when the only available Clippers star, James Harden, had an off night (5-of-20 ). 15 shooting, six turnovers; 18 points and six assists).
The story of the greatest players in NBA history. In 100 compelling profiles, top basketball writers justify their selections and reveal the history of the NBA in the process.
The story of the greatest plays in NBA history.
The Clippers improved to 4-4 – not too shabby considering Leonard (right knee) has yet to play this season. The Sixers – who have been without Joel Embiid (left knee) and George for all but two games (left knee) all season and now have to worry about Tyrese Maxey after he suffered a hamstring injury against the Clippers – saw their busy situation got worse when they fell to 1-6.
But when it comes to the George saga that was the top story of the NBA summer and will surely be debated and re-litigated for years to come, the question that has confused so many rival front office executives and scouts this season is this: Why were the Clippers willing to part with George without getting anything in return?
If The Athleticsby Anthony Slater recently detailedthe Warriors remain both frustrated and confused by their offseason pursuit of George (and Utah’s Lauri Markkanen), which failed. Everyone from Golden State owner Joe Lacob weighed in on the issue, with Steph Curry, Draymond Green, coach Steve Kerr and general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. shared their thoughts on the sign-and-trade situation gone wrong.
There’s an old and outdated saying in the NBA that you don’t let star players walk for nothing, but the Clippers — as so many around the league saw it — bucked that idea by passing on their one real opportunity to recoup assets. for George with the Warriors.
But just as the Clippers have no regrets about the choices that led to George’s departure to Philadelphia, team sources are also adamant in their defense of the Golden State decision. And the reasoning has everything to do with the financial flexibility they valued more than what the Warriors had to offer. As strange as it may sound, they would argue that there are times when nothing is better than something.
Paul George walks past the Clippers bench on Wednesday. (Harry Hoe/Getty Images)
Had the Clippers agreed to make the deal, with the most likely scenario being Golden State sending Andrew Wiggins, Chris Paul, Moses Moody and a first-round pick their way in exchange for George, team sources say the luxury tax penalties on the second platform follow. that would have involved would have brought the total cost to approximately $110 million. The Clippers had serious interest in Warriors fourth-year forward Jonathan Kuminga and likely would have made the deal if he had been taken in the first round, but team sources say he was never really available.
The two teams did discuss scenarios involving Kuminga, team sources said, but the Warriors later took him off the table. Considering he was the only young Warriors prospect the Clippers really saw as a potential star, that was the real X-factor of it all. Even Brandin Podziemski, the Clippers’ wish-list second-year guard, was unavailable. So instead of taking what Golden State had to offer and having to navigate the second-platform hell that came with it, the Clippers decided to target the role players of their choice elsewhere.
If you somehow haven’t heard, the luxury tax penalties that follow when a team’s payroll exceeds $189 million are the bane of every billionaire’s existence. Even owners like Steve Ballmer of the Clippers, the former CEO of Microsoft whose $123 billion net worth makes him the richest owner in sports, are now forced to fear the consequences that come with spending money at the top.
Frozen design choices. A restriction against making transactions that combine the salaries of multiple players. No mid-level exceptions, sign-and-trades, or the ability to send cash in trades. There are plenty of players with a minimum salary.
A blank check is no longer sufficient.
GO DEEPER
How are NBA GMs and executives trying to build teams and compete in the parity era?
The list of roster-wrecking consequences is long and perhaps even boring to casual fans, but the truth is that front office executives whose teams find themselves in that undesirable financial state are like handymen with an empty tool belt. Opinions differ among all parties involved in the departure of George’s Clippers when it comes to the second apron effect.
On the one hand, the Clippers offered George a three-year, $150 million deal that would have put them in the second platform for the entire life of that contract. They even offered a four-year deal for less than the cap money, further proving that point. To some extent, they were clearly prepared to deal with the second apron life.
On the other hand, the Clippers showed a strong commitment to avoiding the second platform in all scenarios that did not involve elite players or young players with the potential to become elite (George or Kuminga). There is some gray area here on this front, but it’s just foolish to pretend it doesn’t come into play.
Watching George fall short against his old team on Wednesday made you wonder if maybe the Clippers hadn’t made the right choice after all. He’s still an elite player in this league, the kind of two-way talent that would fit in beautifully with any legitimate title contender.
But the Clippers aren’t, not with Leonard’s weak status and Harden’s advanced age. That includes the Sixers, who have the franchise’s centerpiece in Embiid, whose near-constant health issues put him next to Leonard when it comes to calculated risk.
George wanted to maximize his money, and he did just that. The Clippers wanted to protect their future, and they did just that. Whether this makes it a win-win situation is up to the observer, but in the end it can be that simple.
(Photos: Tim Heitman, Barry Gossage / NBAE via Getty Images. Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletics)
