The 2023-24 NBA season will be crucial for the Los Angeles Clippers, with the team’s long-term future anything but secure outside of the franchise moving into their own arena next year.
Superstars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have player options next season, which means they could both opt out of their deals with the Clippers and head elsewhere in NBA free agency if they’re tired of the grind with this team.
This upcoming season is the first time in a while that the Clippers don’t have high expectations coming into the year due to the past few years not going as planned and their superstars simply being unable to stay healthy for long stretches.
Despite an uncertain future in Los Angeles, George let it be known that he would love to retire with the Clippers franchise, according to Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints.
Paul George on if he wants to retire a Clipper:
“If it’s up to me, absolutely. I’m back home with a great organization. An organization that believes in winning and does everything it can to win… It’d be a dream.”
(via @TomerAzarly) pic.twitter.com/ZWyoA2fikB
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 4, 2023
Of course, this is easy to say ahead of the season when a player is under contract and can’t control their fate, so even though George feels that way right now, that stance could change at some point during the season or next summer when he can opt out of his deal.
It’ll be interesting to see how things pan out for the Clippers during the 2023-24 campaign, as they may benefit from being the underdog rather than the juggernaut everyone thought they’d be with George and Leonard teaming up in Los Angeles.
If the Clippers can stay healthy, which will be the most important thing for this team this year, George and company could turn into a dangerous team in the Western Conference.
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