DALLAS — After dropping within the first spherical with Kawhi Leonard injured for the second straight postseason, the LA Clippers head into the offseason with uncertainty surrounding the futures of Paul George and James Harden.
George has a participant choice for subsequent season value $48.8 million and might develop into a free agent if he and the Clippers are unable to agree on an extension earlier than June 30. Harden might be an unrestricted free agent and may wait to see what occurs with George earlier than determining his personal future with the Clippers.
After their 114-101 loss in Recreation 6 at Dallas, George was requested whether or not he sees himself with the Clippers long run alongside Leonard and Harden.
“Yeah,” George stated. “If it really works that method, completely.”
Because the Clippers’ season got here to an finish, George and Harden stated they have not actually considered their contracts but.
“I do not even know,” stated Harden, who completed with 16 factors, 13 assists and seven rebounds Friday however missed all six of his 3-point makes an attempt. “You’re asking numerous questions that I haven’t got the reply to or have not even considered.”
The Clippers have a busy offseason forward of them so far as attempting to maintain this crew intact. The franchise is planning to pursue a contract extension with Ty Lue to keep away from having the pinnacle coach enter the ultimate 12 months of his deal in 2025-26, sources informed ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Friday.
After which there’s George and Harden. Leonard signed a three-year, $153 million extension in January. With the Clippers more likely to exceed $200 million in payroll subsequent season, they are going to be restricted in how they’ll enhance the crew because of the second apron.
Ought to George develop into a free agent, there might be a number of suitors for the 34-year-old.
George performed 74 regular-season video games this season, essentially the most he has performed by far in his 5 seasons with the Clippers. The All-Star averaged 22.6 factors, 5.2 rebounds and a career-high 41.3% from 3.
After buying and selling for Harden in late October, the Clippers finally took off and went on a 26-5 tear in the course of the season to achieve the highest of the Western Convention standings in early February.
However the crew sputtered after that as a consequence of accidents and inconsistency. Leonard missed the ultimate eight video games of the common season and Recreation 1 of the primary spherical with irritation in his surgically repaired proper knee. He performed in Video games 2 and three earlier than the crew held him out after he did not appear like his regular self in Recreation 3.
George, who completed with 18 factors and 11 rebounds in Recreation 6 however shot 2-for-10 from 3-point vary, stated he’ll discuss his future along with his household and family members quickly.
“I am not even centered on that but,” George stated. “I obtained loads to form of digest myself, so I have not even obtained to that but. Sit up for form of going again, simply letting every thing form of decompress, speak to my household, be round household assist after which tackle the subsequent step. … Yeah, it is simply not the place I am there. I am not there but.”
ESPN’s Bobby Marks contributed to this report.