The Clippers have given off the impression during draft week discussions that they’re attempting to gauge Paul George‘s trade value, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack post.
According to Stein, some rival teams believe the organization is giving serious consideration to breaking up the star duo of George and Kawhi Leonard, both of whom have struggled to stay on the court due to injury.
When George was on the court this past season, he posted his usually gaudy numbers — 23.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game. However, George only appeared in 56 regular-season games. He has only played in 141 regular-season games over the past three seasons.
George has two years left on his contract. He’s locked into $45.64MM next season and holds a $48.8MM option for the 2024/25 season, when he’ll be 34 years old.
Stein identifies the Trail Blazers (as had previously been reported) and Rockets as potential suitors for George, who was acquired by the Clippers in the summer of 2019.
George would give Damian Lillard another All-Star level talent to work with in Portland. The Blazers could package the No. 3 pick with Anfernee Simons, among others, to match salaries in such a trade scenario.
The Rockets, who seem intent on bringing in some veteran impact players to help their young core, own the No. 4 pick and have the cap space to absorb a huge contract.
Dude can’t stay on the court and makes $45M plus. Why would Portland trade the #3 pick for him?
You’re just saying this bc you want the Raps to get Scoot
As much as I’d like that, PG for #3 AND Simons is an objectively horrible trade proposal.
No, I think he’s saying it because the idea of trading #3 (which should be Scoot or Miller) for a washed up Paul George is insane. Either one of the prospects have a high probability of being more productive than George over the ensuing years, especially since George can’t stay healthy.
Trading the 3rd plus simons for PG would be as laughably bad of a trade as the Rudy trade last year, PG simply does not play any longer, Simons and number 3 is a great start to building a team which Portland needs to do at this point
PG for Randle straight up, who says no? Idk but if im Knicks i would think for a long time
The Clippers block the Knicks number
I love that Knicks fans call Randle a bum and would love to be rid of him (I live on the East Coast so its all I ever hear) then suggest him as a centerpiece and high value asset in trades for star players. Like they hate his attitude, his iso-ball playstyle, and all the turnovers but seemingly expect other teams to be tripping over themselves to give up their star players for him. I’ve read/heard him suggested as the centerpiece for the #2 and #3 picks, for Lillard, for Embiid, and for Jaylen Brown. And all those first round picks they have aren’t that valuable if they’re lottery protected and/or are going to be late firsts because of which team they belong to.
Is George high value and a star? We just saw another “star” in Beal get dealt for peanut because of the contract.
You don’t trade for players – you trade for contracts.
Beal’s awful trade was specifically because of his no-trade clause. Miami was willing to offer a lot more (three picks, Lowry, Robinson/Oladipo) but Beal said no; he wanted to go to Phoenix. PG doesn’t have a no-trade, and is a better and more versatile player than Beal anyway. And Beal isn’t much better on the injury front; he’s played like ten more games than PG over the last three seasons.
By all accounts, Beal did NOT say no to Miami. Washington would have had to take back Lowry which is why they said no.
If they think Paul George gets them closer than a franchise PG (Scoot) or Small forward (Miller), the Blazers are crazy! Both of them are better than PG now! Plus the price is way to high for a always injured player who is overpaid.
Neither of them better than pg now. You ok bro Lmaoo?
Kawhi and pg13 aren’t winning a title ! The if healthy nobody is beating the clipper schtick is becoming old and a running joke actually and I say that a a clippers fan!
If they can get scoot for pg13 they should do it ! Scoot will give them a building for when those wretched Kawhi and pg13 era is over
Who would you rather PG or Siakim?
At this point Siakam just from a health standpoint. PG is a better player, but not by enough to make up the difference of 20-30 games a year.
If I’m La I’d 1000% dealing him to Portland for Simons and the 3rd overall pick if that’s available.
Kawhi and PG been together to long and achieved nothing. Say you get Simons and Scoot, throw in the fact you already have Bones. That’s your backcourt done. Then you get to deal Kawhi and build out the front court…
Kawhi for Barrett, Robinson, Toppin and 4 first round picks…
Put all the other vets up for sale
If your not getting that return for PG it’s hard to see them getting back something of equal value back that helps them win…
Knicks aren’t trading Barrett, Robinson, Toppin, and 4 1st rounders for a guy who has not played more than 60 games in 6 years and has an injury history a mile long.
Knicks pass. Knicks should ask the Bulls about DeRozan, Raptors about Trent Jr, Jazz about Clarkson, or Lakers about Beasley as a last resort option.
Who honestly wants Kawhi?
A top 5/10 player i the league when fit, I’d say 95% of teams would love to have him
As a Sixers fan, I’d deal Harden in a sign and trade for Kawhi in a heart beat.
Maxey Kawhi Embiid
For 20 games a year.
#3 and Simons would be an insane overpay for George, at this point. He’d be great along Lillard, if healthy, but cmon now, not at that trade price.
Will Kawhi stay healthy. If CP3 goes to Clippers will PG and Kawhi all work together. All 3 have injury history. What on Westbrook even. So much craziness. I wonder who all will be where. Will PG go to Rockets or will they waste their money on Harden.
The 76ers should be all over this.
Agreed Melton and Harris for George.
Sixers gamble on George’s health for 2 seasons
Clippers get a couple of players on expirings that can help them compete next year and get them to max cap space in 2024, when they can entice Siakam, OG or Brown to come to LA
A $45M/yr player who is guaranteed to be injured for long stretches, making it difficult for your team to gel on the court. That player is worth a 3rd round pick. Stein is delusional if he thinks the Clippers are getting Simons and the #3.
PG is a bum
PG is not bringing in a haul. Those days are over. Seems to me best Clippers can do. Is hopefully CP3 gets cut. And they sign him and Russ. Run it back and pray to the gods of no injuries ……
If the Clipps can, I would work a deal for Porzingus. Not sure how but that’s the piece.
Ugh going to the wrong team. No hope for my Clipps
Too bad Simons and #3 won’t do it without adding more salary to the deal. About 5 mil should do it.
Just one problem left to solve after that…
Convincing Portland to seriously cripple the franchise for seasons to come by trading young value for often injured, overpaid, has-been, non-value is the only hurdle left I can see
Yeah, this is quality Journalism…
Neither PG13, nor KL, are prime assets at this point, even if they remain prime players. They haven’t played much since their 20’s, and each is going into his mid-30’s with an injury history that likely precludes things getting better. Suggests they’ll get worse, if that’s possible.
Makes sense that LAC are trying to gauge PG13’s value now, before signing him to an extension. He may well have more value as a rental (sans the 225 mm extension that would take them into his late 30’s). But that team would need to be concerned about the guy dogging it for a team that didn’t automatically give him his max extension. A contender on a short time line might risk it.