One factor reportedly prevented Nuggets from trading for Paul George
Amid the rumors and stories stemming from the final few days before Paul George either re-signs in Los Angeles or hits free agency, the LA Clippers’ star wing has drawn plenty of interest from contenders around the league. The 76ers, Knicks, and Warriors are just of the few teams that have been in communication with the Clippers about potentially acquiring him.
Recently, it was revealed that the Denver Nuggets also reached out to LA about George in the last several days. The 2023 NBA champions were inquiring about how much it would take for them to acquire PG in a sign-and-trade. They reportedly gave up when the Clippers informed them they would want far more than the Nuggets were willing to give up.
According to the report from The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Anthony Slater (subscription required), LA wanted Michael Porter Jr., Zeke Nnaji, and “a significant amount of draft capital” from Denver to get the deal done. With how highly the Nuggets value their draft picks, they were unwilling to compromise,
This news proves once again just how valuable George is on the trade market. He may have his shortcomings, but his services are highly coveted by some of the best teams around the association. For Denver, replacing Michael Porter Jr. with an even higher-level shot-creator and similar level defender could have certainly helped them take a step up next season.
Paul has until Saturday, June 29 to decide whether he wants to opt in to his player option for next season. Everything we have heard to this point indicates that is the direction he will take, with a quick pivot to figuring out a trade afterward. With how high his value clearly is at the moment, the Clippers must make sure they get back a considerable return when he is inevitably dealt.
