Report: Warriors Refused to Include JK in PG13 Trade with Clippers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Warriors did everything they could to sign Paul George.
Well, almost everything.
Before George opted out of his contract with the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday, eliminating Golden State’s chance to acquire him, and subsequently agreed to a five-year, $204 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, the Warriors were reportedly close to acquiring the nine-time NBA All-Star.
George was enthusiastic about the idea of joining the Warriors and there were several times during executive and ownership negotiations when it appeared a deal might happen, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne reported in a backstory Tuesday, citing sources.
However, according to Shelburne, Golden State declined to include young forward Jonathan Kuminga in a trade for George.
“The Warriors offered multiple combinations of expiring contracts, young players and an unprotected 2027 first-round pick, sources said,” Shelburne wrote. “The Clippers countered by asking for prized youngster Jonathan Kuminga, sources said. The Warriors resisted because Kuminga is so important to their own future, sources said, but also because they were concerned that George wouldn’t be as interested in joining them if they gave up too much to acquire him.
“At various times, it appeared the teams would reach a deal as discussions took place at both the ownership and executive levels. But they never found common ground on the financial implications for the Clippers. As with George, sources said L.A. was determined not to take back contracts that would put it on the second platform unless there were compelling reasons to do so.”
However, Tim Kawakami of The Athletic reported Saturday that the Warriors’ offers for George included some combination of Andrew Wiggins, Chris Paul, Kuminga or Moses Moody, but not all, plus one future first-round pick. It appears that is the 2027 first-round pick that Shelburne is mentioning.
Due to conflicting reports, it is still unclear whether the Warriors have actually included Kuminga in any of the proposed trades. What is clear is that Golden State places a high value on their rising star and sees him as an integral part of their future.
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