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• Paul George leaving Clippers, likely for 76ers

  Paul George has informed the Los Angeles Clippers he will be joining another team, with the Philadelphia 76ers reportedly the leading candidate to land the coveted free agent.

  The Clippers released a statement Sunday saying they were informed by George and his representatives of his plans to leave the team after five seasons. The nine-time All-Star declined a $48.7 million player option for the 2024-25 season on Saturday.

  According to The Athletic, George will meet with the 76ers on Sunday night and is expected to make a decision shortly thereafter, with no other teams believed to be involved in the bidding for the veteran forward.

  “Paul has informed us that he is signing his next contract with another team,” the Clippers announced. "Paul is a tremendous talent and an elite two-way player. We feel fortunate for the five years we spent with him.

  We negotiated for months with Paul and his representative on a contract that would make sense for both sides, and we were left far apart. The gap was significant. We understand and respect Paul’s decision to look elsewhere for his next contract. We explored an opt-in and trade scenario, but it would have left us in a similar position under the new CBA, with very little asset value to justify the restrictions.

  “We will miss Paul. At the same time, we’re excited by the opportunities we’ve now been afforded, including greater flexibility under the new CBA.

  ESPN reports George was seeking a four-year extension and the Clippers were unwilling to budge beyond a contract similar to the three-year, $152 million deal the team awarded to fellow star Kawhi Leonard in January.

  The Clippers acquired George from Oklahoma City in July 2019 by orchestrating a blockbuster trade in which they gave the Thunder five first-round picks as well as future All-Star Shai GIlgeous-Alexander. Leonard signed with Los Angeles that same summer to help turn the Clippers into one of the Western Conference's more consistently successful teams, though their winning ways often did not extend to the post-season.

  Los Angeles reached the West finals during the 2021 play-offs but was ousted in six games by the Phoenix Suns, and the Clippers have not advanced past the first round in any of the last three seasons.

  George often battled injuries - his 74 games played this past season were his most in any of his five seasons in Los Angeles - but maintained an elite level of play when healthy. The 34-year-old averaged 23 points, six rebounds and 4.5 assists per game during his tenure with the Clippers while shooting just under 40 per cent from 3-point range.

  Armed with ample cap space, the 76ers are well positioned to make a big splash this off-season and potentially pair George with two other All-Stars, 2022-23 NBA MVP Joel Embiid and sharpshooter Tyrese Maxey, in an effort to challenge reigning NBA champion Boston in the Eastern Conference.

  Philadelphia has also found post-season success to be elusive in recent seasons, as the 76ers have reached the play-offs in seven straight years but have failed to advance beyond the second round during that period.

   

• Warriors parting ways with Thompson, Paul

  Klay Thompson's long and successful tenure with the Golden State Warriors appears to be nearing an end, as ESPN reported Sunday that the five-time All-Star guard will test free agency and is unlikely to re-sign with the team he's spent his entire NBA career with.

  Thompson, a core member of the Warriors' four NBA championship teams over an eight-year span from 2014-22, is expected to hold meetings with the Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers in the coming days, according to ESPN.

  The Athletic adds that the Warriors have begun discussions on sign-and-trade agreements involving the star sharpshooter.

  Golden State has also parted ways with another esteemed veteran, as the Warriors officially placed guard Chris Paul on waivers in a move that will save the team $30 million towards next season's salary cap.

  The Warriors had until Sunday to decide whether to guarantee Paul's $30 million salary for 2024-25.

  Paul turned 39 in May and spent just one injury-plagued season with the Warriors after being acquired from Washington last summer in a trade that sent high-scoring guard Jordan Poole to the Wizards. The 12-time All-Star averaged 9.2 points, the lowest of his 19-year NBA career, and 6.8 assists over 58 games while missing nearly two months with a fractured hand.

  Thompson, on the other hand, developed into one of the best players in franchise history after being selected by the Warriors with the 11th overall pick of the 2011 draft.

  The 34-year-old's 2,481 made 3-pointers trail only long-time teammate Stephen Curry for the most by a Warriors player, and Thompson also ranks fourth in team history in games played (793) and sixth in points (15,531).

  One of the best perimeter shooters of this era, Thompson averaged at least 20 points per game for five consecutive seasons from 2014-19 as a vital part of three NBA championship teams (2015, 2017, 2018) during that period.

  Thompson missed the entire 2019-20 and 2020–21 campaigns due to a torn ACL and a ruptured Achilles tendon, but returned to average 20.4 points in 32 games the following season and help Golden State to another NBA title.

  His run of seven straight seasons averaging 20 or more points per game came to an end in 2023-24, when he averaged 17.9 points in 77 games and shot under 40 per cent from 3-point range for just the second time in his career.

  Paul reportedly intends to play a 20th season as he continues his search for the first NBA title of his illustrious career, and the veteran is expected to draw interest as a role player for contending teams.

   

   

• James Harden to re-sign with Los Angeles Clippers

  While the Los Angeles Clippers wait for a decision from one of their star players, another will be returning.

  Multiple outlets reported Sunday that the Clippers and James Harden agreed to a two-year, $70 million contract just prior to the start of the NBA's free agency period.

  The second year of the deal will be a player option, according to Yahoo Sports.

  Harden returns for his first full season in Los Angeles after being acquired by the Clippers from the Philadelphia 76ers on Nov. 1. Playing alongside the also-accomplished duo of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, the 10-time All-Star averaged 16.6 points and 8.5 assists while shooting 38.1 per cent from 3-point range over 72 regular-season games.

  The 2017-18 NBA MVP helped the Clippers to a 51-31 record and the fourth seed in the Western Conference play-offs, though Los Angeles was ousted in six games by the eventual NBA Finals participant Dallas Mavericks in the first round.

  Harden's re-signing brings some stability to what could be an uncertain offseason for the Clippers, as ESPN reported Saturday that George has declined his $48.7 million player option for next season to test free agency.

  George is planning to meet with the 76ers and Orlando Magic in addition to the Clippers in the coming days, according to ESPN.

  Harden is coming off a turbulent offseason of his own following a very public falling out with the 76ers and general manager Daryl Morey last summer, which prompted the 34-year-old to request a trade. After sitting out the early part of last season, Harden eventually had his request granted when Morey dealt the disgruntled point guard to the Clippers, his preferred destination, in a seven-player trade.

  Though the three-time NBA scoring champion posted his lowest points-per-game output since 2010-11 last season, he averaged 21.2 points per game during the Dallas play-off series and the Clippers went 46-26 with him on the court during the regular season.