INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Saying goodbye to Paul George was one factor.
The LA Clippers determined in early July to attract a tough line in negotiations with the 34-year-old, who needed a four-year, $212 million max deal that he would get from the Philadelphia 76ers as a substitute. The prospect of paying him almost $60 million on the age of 37 — particularly given his well being historical past throughout his 5 years in L.A. — was a nightmare state of affairs the Clippers needed to keep away from.
Ditto for the no-trade clause that George needed and was denied. Add within the long-term planning part — a four-year max deal for George would have gone one 12 months previous the size of Kawhi Leonard’s deal whereas chopping too deeply into the valuable wage cap house that may be higher used on youthful superstars who would possibly change into accessible — and also you begin to perceive why the nine-time All-Star was in a Sixers jersey for his reunion recreation at Intuit Dome on Wednesday evening.
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Even when this Leonard-led period by no means pans out — and the observe report speaks for itself at this level — the Clippers protected their potential to go massive once more in the summertime of 2027. And with groups just like the Bucks and Sixers having gone all in on their problematic three-star plans which can be failing miserably for the time being, there’s an argument to be made that the Clippers’ imaginative and prescient will repay.
If just for an evening, it didn’t seem like these Clippers wanted George of their 110-98 win. Norm Powell, the guard who changed George within the beginning lineup and who deemed George’s departure “addition by subtraction” within the preseason, had 26 factors (whereas hitting six 3s) and 6 assists whereas outplaying his former teammate (George had 18 factors and 7 rebounds).
The newcomer who wouldn’t be right here if George had stayed, Derrick Jones Jr., was one in all many productive function gamers who contributed a pivotal half when the lone accessible Clippers star, James Harden, had an off-night (5-of-15 capturing, six turnovers; 18 factors and 6 assists).
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The Clippers improved to 4-4 — not too shabby contemplating Leonard (proper knee) has but to play this season. The Sixers — who’ve been with out Joel Embiid (left knee) all season and George for all however two video games (left knee) and should now fear about Tyrese Maxey after he suffered a hamstring harm towards the Clippers — noticed their pressure-packed scenario get even worse as they fell to 1-6.
However with regards to the George saga that was the highest story of the NBA summer time, and which is able to absolutely be mentioned and re-litigated for years to return, the query that has confounded so many rival front-office executives and scouts this season is that this: Why had been the Clippers keen to say goodbye to George with out getting something in return?
As The Athletic’s Anthony Slater just lately detailed, the Warriors stay each annoyed and confused by their offseason pursuit of George (and Utah’s Lauri Markkanen) that fell flat. Everybody from Golden State proprietor Joe Lacob on down chimed in on the matter, with Steph Curry, Draymond Inexperienced, coach Steve Kerr and common supervisor Mike Dunleavy Jr. sharing their view of the sign-and-trade scenario gone unsuitable.
There’s an outdated and outdated adage within the NBA that you just simply don’t let star gamers stroll for nothing, however the Clippers — as so many across the league noticed it — had gone towards that grain by passing on their solely actual likelihood at recouping belongings for George with the Warriors.
However simply because the Clippers aren’t regretting the alternatives that led to George’s departure to Philadelphia, workforce sources are adamant of their protection of the Golden State choice as effectively. And the reasoning has all the pieces to do with the monetary flexibility that they valued greater than what the Warriors needed to supply. Unusual as it’d sound, they might argue that there are occasions when nothing is healthier than one thing.
Paul George walks close to the Clippers bench on Wednesday. (Harry How / Getty Pictures)
Had the Clippers agreed to do the deal, with the almost definitely state of affairs being Golden State sending Andrew Wiggins, Chris Paul, Moses Moody and a first-round choose their means in change for George, then workforce sources say the second-apron luxurious tax penalties that may have include it will have put the whole price at roughly $110 million. The Clippers had severe curiosity in Warriors fourth-year ahead Jonathan Kuminga and would have doubtless completed the deal if he was included together with the first-round choose, however workforce sources say he was by no means really accessible.
The 2 groups did focus on eventualities that included Kuminga, workforce sources stated, however the Warriors later pulled him off the desk. Contemplating he was the one younger Warriors prospect whom the Clippers really noticed as a possible star, that was the actual X-factor in all of it. Even Brandin Podziemski, the second-year guard who was on the Clippers’ want checklist, wasn’t accessible. So somewhat than take what Golden State provided, and having to navigate the second-apron hell that got here with it, the Clippers determined to focus on the function gamers of their selecting elsewhere.
For those who by some means haven’t heard by now, the second-apron luxurious tax penalties that come when a workforce’s payroll exceeds $189 million are the bane of each billionaire’s existence. Even house owners just like the Clippers’ Steve Ballmer, the previous Microsoft CEO whose web value of $123 billion makes him the richest proprietor in sports activities, are actually pressured to concern the results that include spending your option to the highest.
Frozen draft picks. A restriction towards making trades wherein a number of participant salaries are aggregated. No midlevel exceptions, sign-and-trades, or potential to ship money out in trades. Minimal-salary gamers abound.
A clean examine isn’t sufficient anymore.
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The checklist of roster-wrecking ramifications is lengthy, and maybe even boring to the informal followers, however the fact of all of it is that front-office executives whose groups are in that unwelcome monetary state are like handymen with an empty instrument belt. Amongst all the concerned events in George’s Clippers exit, opinions differ with regards to the second-apron impact.
On the one hand, the Clippers provided George a three-year, $150 million deal that may have put them within the second-apron territory all through the size of that contract. They even provided a four-year deal for lower than max cash, additional proving that time. To some extent, fairly clearly, they had been keen to cope with the second-apron life.
However, the Clippers confirmed a robust dedication to avoiding the second apron in all of the eventualities that didn’t contain both elite gamers or younger gamers with the potential to be elite (George or Kuminga). There’s a grey space right here on this entrance, but it surely’s simply foolish to faux that it didn’t come into play.
To look at George fall quick towards his outdated workforce on Wednesday was to surprise if perhaps the Clippers didn’t make the fitting name in spite of everything. He’s nonetheless an elite participant on this league, the sort of two-way expertise who would slot in superbly on any professional title contender.
However the Clippers aren’t that, not with Leonard’s tenuous standing and Harden’s superior age. Nor are the Sixers, who’ve a franchise centerpiece in Embiid whose near-constant well being points put him alongside Leonard with regards to being a calculated threat.
George needed to maximise his cash, and he did simply that. The Clippers needed to guard their future, and so they did that too. Whether or not that makes it a win-win is within the eye of the beholder, but it surely is perhaps that easy ultimately.
(Images: Tim Heitman, Barry Gossage / NBAE through Getty Pictures. Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic)
