The Los Angeles Clippers decided not to renew Paul George’s contract. This choice led him to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers during free agency.
Many were puzzled by the Clippers’ decision, especially since they didn’t get anything in return for George. Reports suggested there were possible sign-and-trade deals, like one from the Golden State Warriors.
Even 76ers president Daryl Morey was surprised by the Clippers’ move . On the “Rights To Ricky Sanchez” podcast, he mentioned how confused they were after reading the press release about George leaving. Morey said, “And so this press release comes out and weโre all looking at each other, weโre like, โThis seems good.โ And then weโre reading it again, and weโre like, โYeah, thatโs really good. What are the Clippers doing? We donโt understand.”
Morey’s Insights:
Morey shared that he thought the Clippers would change their stance on George’s contract talks at the last minute. He compared it to a past experience with Chris Bosh and Miami Heat where Miami changed their mind just before finalizing things.
“We had heard that they sort of were going to probably draw a line,” Morey explained. “But I really thought that was most likely what would happen.โ
Fans might think this whole situation is pretty strange.
In letting George go without any return deal in place, the Warriors missed their chance to offer him a competitive deal compared to what Philly could provide. The 76ers quickly signed George on a four-year, $212M max contract. Now, he’s part of an exciting trio with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
What do you think about this move by the Clippers?
