RealGM Basketball Wiretap

21 November 2024

• Clippers Likely Would Have Traded Paul George To Warriors If Jonathan Kuminga Was Offered

  The LA Clippers likely would have agreed to a Paul George trade with the Golden State Warriors if Jonathan Kuminga was offered, reports Sam Amick of The Athletic. Kuminga was discussed in some scenarios, but the Warriors later pulled him off the table. Kuminga was the only young player on the Warriors that the Clippers viewed as a potential star.

  Brandin Podziemski was also on the Clippers' wish list, but he also wasn't made available by the Warriors.

  The most realistic offer for the Clippers was Andrew Wiggins, Chris Paul, Moses Moody and a first round pick for George. The total cost of that deal would have been approximately $110 million when factoring in second-apron luxury tax penalties.

• 'Nothing Better Than Something' For Clippers On Deciding Not To Send Paul George To Warriors

  The Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors engaged on a Paul George opt-in-and-trade scenario this past offseason. Sources tell ESPN that the Clippers were willing to trade George to the Warriors, but wanted something of value in return. In order to make the salaries work, the Clippers would have had to take back Andrew Wiggins, who has three seasons and $85 million remaining on his contract. The Clippers also wanted a young player such as Jonathan Kuminga or Brandin Podziemski as fellas a pick or two.

  Sources say Kuminga's name never was seriously broached and the Clippers weren't getting enough value in return as opposed to letting George walk in free agency.

  "Nothing is better than something," a source told ESPN

• Steve Ballmer Cites Aging Roster As Factor In Change Of Direction In Addition To Second Apron

  The Los Angeles Clippers refused to give Paul George either a no-trade clause or a four-year max deal and he responded by leaving the franchise to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers. The decisions was a major reversal for how the Clippers have operated under Steve Ballmer. While the Clippers were willing to continue with George and Kawhi Leonard for another three seasons, they were not prepared to do so for four years.

  "I don't know when the blueprint changed," Ballmer told ESPN. "The truth of the matter is our situation was changing just because the guys are getting older anyway. So the way to think about it with Paul or without Paul, it started to morph on us."

  The Clippers wanted George to re-sign, but would only offer $150 million over three seasons.

  "We wanted Paul back," Ballmer said. "We made him a big offer. We really wanted him here. We just wanted to not put ourselves in a position where we can't consistently be good. We offered them the max for three years and Philly offered them the max for four years. OK, I get it. But in terms of our trajectory and staying really good, it was really going to be an issue for us.

  "The truth is, with Paul not coming back, we were able to upgrade our team. We don't [sign] Derrick Jones Jr. if Paul comes back. We don't [sign] Kris Dunn, [or have] our new defensive identity. Might not have [signed] Kevin Porter Jr., Nico [Batum].... You could say, well, they're not Paul George. No, they're not Paul George."

  Lawrence Frank also explained the Clippers' position where they would have faced being a second apron team for multiple seasons had they re-signed George.

  "Once your pick becomes frozen, [and] if you're in the second apron for multiple years, you're really f---ed," Frank told ESPN. "You're in a situation where you never have cap space and you never have your midlevel exception and you're just strictly dealing with minimums and trades. Our goal is we want to be a sustainable contender."

• Nuggets Asked About Paul George Last Offseason

  The Denver Nuggets inquired about potentially acquiring Paul George last offseason, sources told Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.

  Talks never escalated with the Nuggets not willing to discuss Christian Braun, Peyton Watson, or Julian Strawther in a deal.

  The Clippers were also uninterested in only taking back Michael Porter Jr. and Zeke Nnaji's salary.

  Since their title-winning season in 2023, the Nuggets have lost Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Bruce Brown, Jeff Green and Reggie Jackson.

• Clippers Exercise 25-26 Option For Kobe Brown

  The LA Clippers have exercised the 2025-26 rookie scale team option for Kobe Brown. This is the third-year option for Brown.

  Brown appeared in 44 games as a rookie. The 6-foot-7 forward has yet to appear in an NBA game in his second season.

• Heat, Bucks, Suns, Sixers Potentially Interested In PJ Tucker

  The Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns, and Philadelphia 76ers all could potentially have interest in PJ Tucker should he part ways with the Los Angeles Clippers, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

  The aforementioned teams are unlikely to trade for Tucker, who is on an $11.5 million expiring deal.

  Tucker is currently away from the Clippers by mutual consent.

  Should he get bought out by the Clippers, Tucker would be eligible to sign with apron teams.

• Clippers Grant PJ Tucker Permission To Seek Trade

  The Los Angeles Clippers have granted permission to PJ Tucker's agent, Andre Buck, to speak with rival teams about a potential trade, sources tell Chris Haynes. Tucker remains away from the Clippers as the two sides seek a resolution to his situation.

  Tucker, who was largely out of the Clippers lineup following a trade from the Sixers, exercised his $11.5 million player option with the team this past offseason.

  According to Kelly Iko and Law Murray of The Athletic, the Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns are among the teams who have held conversations with Buck. Tucker has previously played for each of those four teams.

• Former Staffer Sues Clippers Alleging Wrongful Termination Over Kawhi Leonard Health Concerns

  Randy Shelton, a former strength and conditioning coach for the Los Angeles Clippers has sued the franchise and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank, alleging wrongful termination in part for raising concerns about the management of Kawhi Leonard's health and injuries.

  Shelton joined the Clippers on July 1, 2019 after serving in a similar role at San Diego where he worked with Leonard.

  Shelton said he was part of a multiyear effort to recruit Leonard that "leapt well beyond the bounds of the NBA constitution" with respect to potential tampering violations.

  He is seeking "significant" but unspecified damages at trial, his attorneys told ESPN.

  The Clippers denied the allegations in a statement.

  "Mr. Shelton's claims were investigated and found to be without merit. We honored Mr. Shelton's employment contract and paid him in full," the team said. "This lawsuit is a belated attempt to shake down the Clippers based on accusations that Mr. Shelton should know are false."

  Shelton said the Clippers first contacted him in 2017 after Leonard suffered a severe ankle injury during the 2017 Western Conference Finals.

  Beginning in 2017, while Leonard remained under contract with the Spurs, Shelton said a Clippers executive contacted him to seek "private health information" about Leonard and expressed the need for "discretion."

  Shelton alleges that the Clippers' recruiting efforts were in "disregard for the NBA's prohibitions on tampering." Article 35 of the NBA's constitution prohibits teams from "directly or indirectly" attempting to entice players under contract with one team to join a different team.

• Kawhi Leonard Out Multiple Weeks, Clippers Hopeful He Can Sustain Availability Once Cleared

  Kawhi Leonard is expected to be out multiple weeks to start the season, but the LA Clippers are aiming for him to consistently remain available once he is cleared. The Clippers are hoping to avoid a repeat of past years where Leonard has missed chunks of time.

  "I'm told Kawhi Leonard will be missing weeks," said Shams Charania on NBA Today. "This is not an injury that's going to be measured by a week, two weeks potentially. Not days obviously. This will be an extended period of time that the Clippers are starting this season without him.

  "But I'm told they feel they have a plan and protocol in place that will allow him, when he is ready to return, to actually sustain his play on the court."

  Leonard signed a three-year, $152.4 million extension with the Clippers last January.

• Bones Hyland, Clippers Won't Agree To Extension By Deadline

  Bones Hyland the LA Clippers will not agree on a contract extension and he'll become a restricted free agent in 2025. Hyland is represented by agent Austin Walton.

  The Clippers acquired Hyland from the Denver Nuggets at the 2023 trade deadline.

  Last season in 37 games, Hyland averaged 6.9 points, 1.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 14.6 minutes.