Source: OKC’s George to become free agent
Kings considering signing LaVine
Paul George turned down one option and created a slew of new ones.
George has decided not to exercise his $20.7 million option for next season with the Oklahoma City Thunder, a person with knowledge of the situation said Thursday. George will become an unrestricted free agent on Sunday.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday because neither George nor the team has publicly announced his decision. ESPN first reported George’s decision about the option year.
It was not an unexpected move for George, who averaged 21.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.0 steals for the Thunder this past season. By not opting in to the final year of his existing deal, George opens up an array of possibilities — such as going elsewhere, possibly the Los Angeles Lakers, or signing a new deal with Oklahoma City.
He is also expected to be pursued by the Houston Rockets, who finished this past season with the NBA’s best regular-season record.
George may opt to sign a short-term deal, either with the Thunder or someplace else. He could also command as much as $176 million in a five-year deal if he chooses to stay in Oklahoma City and pair up with Russell Westbrook for years to come.
He will be one of the headline attractions when the free-agent shopping period officially opens at 12:01 a.m. EDT on Sunday, along with LeBron James — assuming that James chooses not to exercise his $35.6 million option for next season with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Thunder have long maintained that they want to keep George, whom they acquired a year ago in a trade with the Indiana Pacers.
“From the day that he arrived, we really made a specific and intentional effort to build a relationship with Paul and his representation built on three things: collaboration, transparency, and trust,” Thunder GM Sam Presti said after the season. “Those tenets were followed throughout the year and continued to be. I felt strongly about the relationship. I feel great about the communication and the honesty, about the way we started the relationship.”
George is a five-time AllStar who just turned 28. For his career between Indiana and Oklahoma City, he’s averaged 18.6 points and 6.2 rebounds while connecting on 38 percent of his tries from 3-point range.
Presti gambled a year ago by trading for George and Carmelo Anthony to join Westbrook in hopes of rejoining the NBA’s elite. It didn’t quite work out — the Thunder lost in the first round of the playoffs for the second straight year.
KINGS: League sources indicated Sacramento is considering signing Chicago’s restricted free agent Zach LaVine to an offer sheet when free agency begins officially.
As of Thursday, the Kings were poised to own roughly $18.7 million of salary-cap space when the NBA’s new fiscal calendar begins. If they choose to go the LaVine route, that would mean a four-year offer worth roughly $80 million, which the Bulls would have 72 hours to match.
The Bulls, who are expected to offer LaVine a multiyear deal at an annual salary lower than he is seeking, would almost certainly match that. But the Kings could make additional moves to clear more cap space and come closer to the max deal of four years and roughly $108 million that a rival team can offer LaVine. Such an offer could give the Bulls pause.
A max deal from the Bulls would be five years and roughly $147 million.
MAGIC: Orlando will hold an advantage throughout the process of re-signing restricted Aaron Gordon. Because Gordon’s free agency is restricted, the Magic will have the right to match any offer sheet Gordon might sign with another team.
“Obviously, I’ve got to talk to other teams,” Gordon said Thursday. “I’ve got to do the due diligence. But we’ll talk to the Magic, and I do believe that they’re going to offer me something fair. And, hopefully, we can go from there. But I have to do the due diligence and see what’s going to be the best fit for myself.”
A max deal for Gordon would begin at an annual salary of $25.3 million.