During the lead up to NBA free agency, Paul George has been linked with both the Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks. Now that the Knicks have acquired Mikal Bridges, they are out of contention to also acquire George.
George is believed to prefer to re-sign with the Los Angeles Clippers, but he is seeking a four-year deal they are apparently reluctant to offer. George is a native of Palmdale, California outside of Los Angeles and may want to stay closer to home even if he leaves the Clippers.
“I’m not so sure Paul George really wanted to leave the West Coast,” said Brian Windhorst on the Hoop Collective Podcast on Wednesday morning. “I think that was something Philadelphia kind of ran into when they kicked the tires there.”
After having initial interest in pursuing George, the Sixers have reportedly shifted to other options with their interest having “significantly wanted.”
The Golden State Warriors have reported interest in an opt-in-and-trade scenario with George, which would give him an option closer to Los Angeles. Last season, both Draymond Green and Chris Paul spent a considerable amount of time commuting from Los Angeles to San Francisco.