Steph Curry and Draymond Green were on board for Paul George trade but Clippers refused to budge: Report

Golden State Warriors stars Steph Curry and Draymond Green were reportedly "100 percent on board" in the team's pursuit to acquire Paul George in free agency. The Warriors were prepared to sign the star forward to a max contract extension for which George would have to opt into his contract with the LA Clippers for 2024–25.

George also indicated that he wanted to join the Warriors; however, the Clippers refused to budge ahead of free agency. This resulted in the nine-time All-Star becoming a free agent as he opted out of his $48.7 million 2024–25 contract with the Clippers and is now out of reach for the Warriors.

Given their salary commitments, Golden State can no longer sign Paul George in free agency due to the CBA restriction, except in the unlikely scenario of George agreeing to a fraction of the salary he could otherwise make on the free market.

Philadelphia 76ers emerge as frontrunners to land Paul George in free agency

According to NBA Insider Chris Haynes, the Philadelphia 76ers are expected to "aggressively pursue" Paul George in free agency as they hope to add a third star alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey ahead of the 2024–25 season.

The Sixers' $180 million, five-year contract with Tobias Harris is coming to an end, and as a result, they have a lot of salary room as they head into free agency. After losing to the New York Knicks in the first round of the playoffs, they would like to add the star power that George offers to strengthen their lineup.

Various other teams are also likely to look to add George to their rosters and also have the cap space to accommodate him. The Orlando Magic could look to add the veteran star as they hope to elevate the young team in pursuit of becoming serious title contenders.

Paul George averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals in 74 games last season. He shot 47.1%, including 41.3% from beyond the arc, as the Clippers secured the fourth spot in the Western Conference with a 51-31 record.

The star forward averaged 19.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.2 steals in the playoffs. However, the LA Clippers were eliminated 4-2 by the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the playoffs.