The Warriors did everything in their power to land Paul George this offseason.
Well, almost everything.
Before George opted out of his Los Angeles Clippers contract Saturday, eliminating any chance Golden State had of acquiring him, only then to agree to sign a five-year, $204 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, the Warriors reportedly were close to acquiring the nine-time NBA All-Star.
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George was keen on the idea of joining the Warriors, and there were multiple instances where it seemed like a deal might get done as negotiations took place at the executive and ownership levels, ESPN's Ramona Shelburne reported, citing sources, in a feature story on Tuesday.
However, per Shelburne, Golden State refused to include young forward Jonathan Kuminga in any 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 worried George wouldn't be as interested in joining them if they gave up too much to get him.
"At several points, it seemed the teams might reach a deal as talks took place at both the ownership and executive levels. But they never found common ground on the financial implications for the Clippers. As they did with George, sources said LA held firm on not taking back contracts that would land it over the second apron unless there were compelling reasons to do so."
Golden State Warriors
However, The Athletic's Tim Kawakami reported on Saturday that the Warriors' offers for George consisted of some combination, but not all of, Andrew Wiggins, Chris Paul, Kuminga or Moses Moody plus one future first-round pick, which appears to be the 2027 first-rounder Shelburne mentions.
Due to conflicting reports, it remains unclear if the Warriors actually included Kuminga in any proposed trade packages, but it is clear that Golden State greatly values its rising star and considers him an integral part of its future.