Paul George Opts Out of His $48.8 Million Player Option; 76ers Are Lurking As A Major Threat

Saturday was the deadline for NBA swingman Paul George to make a decision on his $48.7M player option for next season and it turns out he will not be opting into the final year of his deal. According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the 9x All-Star is set to become a free agent as the best player on the market.

"Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George is declining his $48.7M option and entering free agency, sources tell ESPN. He’s planning to set meetings with cap space teams and the Clippers beginning Sunday night. An opt-in/trade scenario is now gone."

George , 34, is one of the most highly coveted wing players in the league right now. While he is a tier below the true superstars, George is a fit for any team due to his size, defense, and shot-making ability. In 74 games last season, he averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game on 47.1% shooting.

George was faced with several scenarios for this offseason. Before the latest move, he could have chosen to force a sign and trade to a team of his choice, which many thought could be the Golden State Warriors . But now, with that play off the table, the Warriors are essentially out of the running for George and will have to look elsewhere to upgrade their roster.

The former 10th overall pick out of Fresno State instead chose to become a free agent and plans to meet with multiple teams, including the Clippers. At this point, the Clips are still the ongoing favorites to sign Paul but the Philadelphia 76ers are making a strong push.

"Philadelphia 76ers are expected to aggressively pursue Paul George and is a legitimate threat in luring the star away from Los Angeles," wrote Chris Haynes .

The 76ers have been linked to George for some time now and there is reason to believe there is mutual interest in a partnership. During the NBA playoffs this year, 76ers star Joel Embiid went out of his way to recruit Paul George and he will likely play a big role in the 76ers' pitch this summer.

As a team that is on the edge of title contention, George could be the final piece that puts the 76ers over the top. Between him, Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey, the East would have a new big three that could contend with the Celtics and Bucks for supremacy in the Conference.

If you're George, who has failed to take the Clippers on a meaningful run, it makes sense to give the 76ers serious consideration and it seems that a future there may be in the cards after 14 years in the league. No matter what happens, George's decision will have a domino effect on the rest of free agency we may not see much in the way of movement until his next team is confirmed.

Related: Mavericks Create A Big 3 By Acquiring Paul George In Proposed Blockbuster Trade

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