The Brooklyn Nets are in the middle of an offseason that could be crucial to their near future since they are coming off a disappointing 2023-24 season. As Brooklyn moves through this summer, they have some options to get better, but are limited by lack of draft picks and possibly, lack of available money.
While the Nets have most of their roster under contract for next season, the big free-agent for them is center Nic Claxton. It seems likely that Claxton is re-signing with Brooklyn at some point this summer as long as his price isn’t too high for him and the Nets to agree to a new contract that works for both sides.
Whether or not Brooklyn is able to re-sign Claxton or not, there is a player who could be a free-agent this offseason and that’s Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul George. The Clippers were bounced in the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs and despite the fact that the team wants to run things back, they may not be able to do so while bringing back all of their stars.
George, 34, has a player option for next season worth $48.7 million, a figure that Los Angeles would either have to fit into their cap by losing some of their depth that got them to the playoffs the past couple of years or by trading George in the hopes of recouping some assets.
Either way, it’s possible that the Clippers could have a trade partner in the Nets if George picks up his player option given that Brooklyn could be looking for a star-level player as soon as this offseason.
Much has been made about the Nets given that they are stuck in the middle because of their lack of control over their own draft picks for the next few years due to the James Harden trade combined with the fact that Brooklyn is clearly not good enough to make the postseason.
To be clear, there have been no reports or rumors that the Clippers and the Nets have discussed George in anyway. However, if things don’t go as planned for Los Angeles this offseason, Brooklyn could be a team that swoops in to take George of their hands.
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