This is For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here. Have feedback? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey! Now, here’s Mike Sykes.
Gooood morning, folks! Welcome back to the Morning Win. Thanks so much for rocking with us today. Hope you had a fantastic weekend.
Can anyone explain exactly what the Los Angeles Clippers’ plan for free agency is here? Because I’m not even sure they know at this point.
Paul George decided to sign a 4-year, $212 million deal with the 76ers while you were sleeping, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports. The Clippers big three is now officially down to an unintimidating two featuring James Harden (who never seems to come through in the playoffs) and Kawhi Leonard (who never seems to play in the playoffs anymore).
READ MORE: The winners and losers of NBA Free Agency so far
It’s not even just that he decided to sign in Philly that makes the Clippers losers. It’s that he decided not to sign with the Clippers. That just feels like the most Clippers thing ever to me.
Just think about the situation. George and the Clippers have been negotiating for months. We’ve all known there was a strong possibility that George would leave LA. The rumors have been circulating for months now. But now, here the Clippers are, losing George for absolutely nothing. Zip. Zero. Zilch. Nada.
It’s not like the Clippers didn’t have deals on the table. The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami reported that the Warriors offered half of their starting lineup plus Chris Paul and a first-round draft pick for George. The Clippers declined, well, here we are now. They’ve got nothing.
And, remember, the Clippers gave up everything for George.
L.A. moved future MVP candidate Shai Gilgeious-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, and a boatload of draft picks, including one that wound up being Jalen Williams. It’s safe to say the Thunder have officially won that trade now.
Clippers fans should fondly remember the Paul George era—it’s undoubtedly the best the franchise has ever had. Four playoff appearances in five years and a Western Conference Finals berth aren’t bad, but they’re not what L.A. set out to do.
To see it end like this is sad. I can’t blame the Clippers for not wanting to pay Paul George $56.6 million when he’s 38.
But, man. They went through all of that for what amounts to nothing. Clippers gon’ Clip. Always.
Sam Reinhart is back
Speaking of free agency, Sam Reinhart has to feel like the man in Miami right now.
He scored what turned out to be the game-winning goal in the second period against Edmonton in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. Now, a week later, and the man is paid.
Reinhart signed an 8-year, $69 million deal with the Panthers to remain with the franchise through the rest of his prime, ESPN reports.
That’s a sweet deal for the Panthers. You could argue it’s a steal, considering his production. Reinhart scored a franchise record 57 goals last year, including the first one of the season. He tacked in another 10 in the playoffs and got the last goal of the season, too. That one was for the Cup.
The Panthers got that guy locked in for $8.5 million annually. That’s less than what the Panthers are paying Aleksander Barkov ($10 million AAV).
Way to get it done, Florida.
Diana Taurasi said nice things!
And y’all said Diana Taurasi was just a hater. Obviously, she’s had some fairly stern things to say about Caitlin Clark. But after seeing the Fever play the Sun on Sunday, it’s pretty clear she’s got love for the rookie, too.
The two shared some pretty cool moments during the game and Taurasi even said nice words after! Do you know how hard it is to get Diana Taurasi to say nice words, folks?!?
READ MORE: Diana Taurasi classily heaped praise onto Caitlin Clark
Diana Taurasi when asked about Caitlin Clark's impact on women's basketball:
"It's amazing. What Caitlin's been able to do in her short career so far has been nothing short of remarkable. The one thing that I really love about her … she's put the work in. Even throughout her… pic.twitter.com/LolH8ioDjS
— Desert Wave Media (@DesertWaveCo) June 30, 2024
“It’s amazing. What Caitlin’s been able to do in her short career so far has been nothing short of remarkable. The one thing that I really love about her, she loves the game. You can tell she’s put the work in. Even throughout her short WNBA career, there’s been a lot of pressure. A lot of things thrown at here. She keeps getting better every single game. Her future is super bright.”
Alright. The beef talk is buried. This was super nice of DT. What a great moment. What a great game.
Quick hits: How the Clippers lost PG … Why you shouldn’t believe in England … and more
— Here’s Robert Zeglinski on the moment the Clippers lost Paul George … back in December.
— Here’s Robert again on why England’s win over Slovakia at Euro 2024 should inspire little confidence in the team.
— Celebrate Bobby Bonilla day here with Charles Curtis! Love this time of year.
— The Clippers’ title odds have plummeted without Paul George. Prince Grimes has more here.
— Christian D’Andrea ranked every NFL team’s alternate helmets
— I’m pretty sure Simone Biles can fly. Michelle Martinelli has more here.
That’s a wrap, folks. Thanks so much for reading. Let’s do it again tomorrow. Peace.
-Sykes ✌️