Paul George is a player of interest for the Warriors, especially if Klay Thompson leaves as a free agent.
The Golden State Warriors need to find a way to fast-track themselves back to being a contender in the West. With the impending free agencies of Klay Thompson and Chris Paul, Golden State could make a move for Paul George, according to Brett Seigel.
"Paul George’s situation with the Clippers is very interesting. Should the Clippers decide not to pay George what he wants, it may not be an Eastern Conference team that pursues George. Keep a very close eye on the Warriors regarding George if Klay Thompson is to leave."
George averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists last season for the Clippers. He's arguably the most popular free agent on the market, with many reports suggesting that the market will not move until George makes a decision. Before he can even hit free agency, George needs to decline his $48.7 million player option.
Klay averaged 17.9 points, 3.3 rebounds. and 2.3 assists last season. While it was a down year for him based on the standards he has set in previous years, that's still an incredible season for a rotational offensive piece.
The Warriors needed more from Klay, but many teams making a run at him this offseason would be ecstatic if Klay produces to the levels we saw last year, even though he shot 38.5% from three instead of his usual 40+%.
Paul George Could Force A Trade Instead
If George opts into his $48.7 million player option, he could force the Clippers into trading him away. This would help George retain Bird rights with whatever team he joins, allowing them to go over the salary cap to re-sign him next summer. We just saw this strategy successfully implemented in the last two seasons as well.
Kyrie Irving opted into a player option in the 2022 offseason despite publicly demanding a trade from the franchise before he got the option to hit free agency. Due to the lack of a market around him, Irving stayed with the team quietly until he was traded to the Mavericks in 2023, where he would then re-sign on a 3-year, $120 million contract, something that hadn't been offered to him on the open market.
James Harden opted into a player option last season after calling Daryl Morey a liar and publicly demanding a trade at an Adidas event in China. This worked out for him as well, with Harden being traded to the Clippers as he eyes a contract extension from the franchise this summer.
George could do the same and agitate for a trade, whether it's like Harden and happens before the end of October or like Kyrie, where he had to wait until February to get dealt.
Multiple franchises have been rumored to be after George, with the Philadelphia 76ers being the most popular name until recent reports suggested they'll be focusing on other targets. The Dallas Mavericks are a name that's been mentioned in George's conversations as well.
