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The Los Angeles Clippers have released a statement on their star player Paul George, who has decided to leave the franchise in a free agency this summer, potentially joining the Philadelphia 76ers. After a five-year association, Paul George and the LA Clippers were “far apart” in their contract negotiations, while the franchise admitted that the “gap was significant,” which led to his decision to leave.
Notably, during his tenure at the Los Angeles Clippers, Paul George became the NBA All-Star on three occasions in 2021, 2023, and 2024. His performance against Utah Jazz in the Western Conference Semifinal series was exceptional, especially in the Games 5 and 6, which led to 4-2 win for the LA Clippers.
The statement from the Los Angeles Clippers about Paul George read, “Paul has informed us that he is signing his next contract with another team. Paul is a tremendous talent and an elite two-way player. We feel fortunate for the five years we spent with him. Over that span, he went to three All Star Games, made the most 3-pointers in franchise history and helped lead the team to a place it had never been. His performances in Games 5 and 6 against Utah in 2021 won’t be forgotten by anyone associated with the Clippers.”
“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,” stated the LA Clippers about why Paul George is set to leave the franchise this summer.
Shortly after, ESPN reported that Paul George has agreed to sign on the dotted line with the Philadelphia 76ers. He is expected to join them on a four-year $212 million maximum contract to potentially form a partnership with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, to help the franchise reach the NBA Eastern Conference finals for the first-time in nearly 25 years.
