Speaking to reporters on Thursday night, president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said the Clippers “love” Paul George and “very much want to retain” him, but acknowledged that the team doesn’t have full control over the process, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. George holds a $48.8MM player option for 2024/25. If he doesn’t get a contract offer he likes from the Clippers, he could turn down that option to become a free agent — or pick it up and request a trade.
“We hope Paul’s decision is to be here. He’s been awesome,” Frank said. “He’s been an All-Star. He’s one of the best two-way players in the league. He’s a terrific person. He’s got great family, so we hope he’s here but also respect the fact that if he chooses to opt out, that’s his choice. He’s earned it and we’ll see how things play out.”
In addition to George, the Clippers have another key player facing unrestricted free agency, with James Harden set to reach the open market on Sunday if he doesn’t agree to a new deal before then. Frank said talks with Harden’s camp so far have been productive.
“We think James has been terrific for us,” Frank said. “We hope he’s had a great experience while he has been here and we hope he decides to continue to be here. … We very much want James to remain a Clipper and hope he decides to do the same.”
Re-signing both George and Harden would likely make the Clippers a second-apron team for a second straight season, with more punitive roster-building restrictions taking effect this offseason for clubs above the second tax apron. Frank admitted that’s a factor the organization can’t ignore as it weighs potential roster moves.
“This is a business and the reality of the new CBA impacts teams like us,” he said, according to Youngmisuk. “When your better players are in their 30s and you’re trying to build a sustainable roster, it impacts it. Like if there was no CBA, with (Clippers owner) Steve Ballmer, it would be carte blanche. With the new CBA, it’s not even about the money as it is how are you going to build a sustainable roster, maintain your tools to have transactional flexibility? And with that comes really, really hard decisions.”
Here’s more from around the Pacific:
- Discussing the Lakers‘ decision to draft Bronny James with the No. 55 pick on Thursday, head of basketball operations Rob Pelinka praised the former USC guard’s character, work ethic, and three-and-D potential, and said it would be “magical” to see him and his father LeBron James play alongside one another next season, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. While it’s safe to assume LeBron is happy with the pick, McMenamin says star big man Anthony Davis supported it too. “He’s very good defensively,” Davis said of Bronny. “He can read the floor very well. I think he’s a really good play-maker. I saw him work out a couple times besides the (Klutch Sports) pro day and working with a big — his reads, reading the defense, making the right passes — that was really impressive to me. I think he’s going to be fine, man.”
- The Lakers were thrilled to land Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht at No. 17 on the first day of the draft, McMenamin writes in a separate story for ESPN. “If we would have had the 10th pick in the draft, we would have taken him. So, to get that value at 17 is really extraordinary,” Pelinka said, adding that new head coach J.J. Redick immediately started drawing up plays for the sharpshooter in the Lakers’ draft room. Viewed as a potential top-10 pick, Knecht slipped due to concerns about his age (23) and defense, sources tell Jovan Buha of The Athletic.
- No. 13 overall pick Devin Carter is dealing with a shoulder injury and his status for Summer League is up in the air, Kings general manager Monte McNair told reporters on Wednesday. However, McNair suggested the injury isn’t a serious one, according to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. “I think we got to get him in here and get with our doctors and just see what it is,” the Kings’ GM said. “But when we get through the draft process, our docs are confident. We’ve been in touch with his team. We’re confident it’s not a long-term issue.”
- Suns general manager James Jones acknowledged that first-round pick and defensive standout Ryan Dunn has room to improve as a shooter, but expressed confidence that will be possible in Phoenix, as Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports relays (Twitter video link). “I’m confident with our staff, with (Mike Budenholzer), our coaches, that he’ll be primed to improve as a shooter,” Jones said. “If he can do that and do it quickly, I think we found a gem.”
PG should definitely leave.
I may have simply missed one of the talking heads saying this, but one thing I haven’t heard from any basketball analyst is that Bronny James is “going to be good” in the NBA, or some variation of that. It’s weird. They all talk about his skills and potential and defense, but no one seems to want to be the one to claim he’s going to be a good/great player. The phrase Davis used above (“he’ll be fine”) got me thinking about it. Correct me if I’m wrong here. I think Bronny has potential, but what do I know?
All draftees have potential to a certain extent otherwise they wouldn’t have been drafted. Bronny will be ok but on the lakers he will never see meaningful minutes until 2027.
Some analysts had him as a potential 1st round pick and perhaps a lottery pick before his cardiac incident. I don’t see how anybody let alone the android/apple analysts in these comments section could tell much about his game from his lone season at USC where he was playing himself back into shape.
And before anyone sighted him play in college. Heart issues and can’t play at the nba level. Since when does a guy like that get drafted? Drafted off his name and the narrative on the laker channel (espn) is already don’t judge him off his last name. How does that work when it’s his name that got him $5 mil NIL payments and drafted? Are you saying this guy ends up with a role in the league? Name your price.
I have a hard time believing people are celebrating nepotism at its finest with LeBron and his son being drafted by lakers.
I think it’s more of a celebration of LeBron’s longevity than anything. The reason a father-son duo hasn’t happened before isn’t because of skill, but because no father has been able to still be there when his son enters the league before.
So whether or not people realize, I think it’s all about Bron. Bronny is simply the medium for people to go crazy over Lebrons longevity. And while I’m not a big Bron fan or anything, I will admit it’s pretty cool to see. Feels like a glitch in the matrix.
cringe
When you sit out games every year and never play a full season and then yes it’s easy to play as long as James. Nobody before him took days off except Marvin Barnes. New mentality in the kids. Laziness- LeBron
Forget about Bronny. He can work on his game in G league.
Knecht is a steal for the Lakers and will provide that instant shooting off the bench that is much needed.
Who does everyone think will be the Lakers starting PG on opening night?
Trae? Chris Paul? Russell? Dinwiddie? Any other trade targets?
Trae seems like a good bet. If Lakers can’t get that done, wouldn’t rule out Lavine either considering he’s a klutch guy.
Have a hard time seeing them run back the Dlo thing, we all know how the story ends in the playoffs (if lakers make it there).
The Lakers don’t want LaVine, and neither should anyone else.
Agree, but desperation breeds stupidity.