If Paul George hits free agency, the Los Angeles Clippers seriously risk losing him to a conference rival, according to a report.
The Golden State Warriors have “prioritized” a George pursuit, according to Marc Stein in his latest newsletter. That will take precedence over any real effort to retain Klay Thompson.
This is backed up by Sam Amick and Anthony Slater of The Athletic, who report that the Warriors are serious about trying to make George part of their Steph Curry-led core. As long as Curry continues to perform at an elite level, the Warriors are determined to try to surround him with a championship core.
The Warriors’ links to George have been growing in recent days. Their pursuit may be encouraged by the notion that the Clippers do not appear to be making an all-out effort to keep George in the fold.
The question is how the Warriors would get this done, given the salary cap restraints involved. It would likely require a sign-and-trade effort that could prove very costly from Golden State’s perspective. If the team is that desperate to bolster the roster, however, they may deem the pursuit to be worth the price.
