Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George will become an NBA free agent after he opted out of the final year of his contract with the team, according to a report.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Saturday that the 34-year-old declined the option worth $48.7 million. As the man widely considered to be the top free agent of this offseason, he’ll now meet with teams — including the Clippers — starting on Sunday, when the free agency negotiating window begins.
While there’s a possibility that George returns to the Southland to open up the Intuit Dome with L.A., his opting out points toward a tough reality for the franchise: the much-anticipated duo of George and Kawhi Leonard has failed to bring the Clippers their first championship.
In five years with the Clippers, George averaged about 25 points per game and was an All-Star three times.
The Leonard and George era has been marred by untimely injuries through the five years. The Clippers reached the Western Conference Finals for the first time in 2021, but fell to the Phoenix Suns in six games. Leonard missed the entirety of that series.
George, now well into his 30s, is likely seeking the last major payday of his career. He played for the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder before being traded to the Clippers in 2019 in a blockbuster that included rising superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He will begin his 15th NBA season in October.