Potential Pistons Star Target’s Top Three Suitors Revealed

Would Paul George give the Detroit Pistons a chance to make a pitch?

Dec 26, 2022; Detroit, Michigan, USA; LA Clippers guard Paul George (13) dribbles defended by Detroit Pistons forward Bojan Bogdanovic (44) in the second half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports | Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

If the Detroit Pistons want to shoot for the stars this summer, they have the cap space to offer a player like LA Clippers sharpshooter Paul George a max contract.

Would George actually entertain the Pistons, though? According to a revealed list of George’s top three landing spots, the Pistons are unsurprisingly out of the picture.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, George will entertain pitches from a few teams, including the Philadelphia 76ers, Orlando Magic, and the Clippers.

On Saturday, George ultimately decided that he wouldn’t play next season unless he’s got a long-term deal in place. Since the Clippers haven’t offered George the full max, according to reports, the Clippers have struggled to lock in the hometown kid.

The Clippers can’t be ruled out, though. Even years after forcing his way to LA,George’s interest in competing with the Clippers hasn’t swayed. But the business side of basketball has left him with the choice to secure another big contract as he enters the 2024-2025 season at 34-years-old.

Philly could very well be the frontrunner for the Clippers’ sharpshooter. As they employ a star duo of Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid, a player like George understands that the Sixers are postseason contenders as long as those two are in the picture.

While the Magic have another talented roster, and recently made a playoff appearance, they haven’t put together a string of postseason runs like the Sixers have over the past seven seasons.

Going for a player of George’s caliber was always going to be a long shot for the Pistons. As George is searching for a winning situation, the Pistons haven’t achieved at least 20 wins over the previous two regular seasons.

Getting veterans to surround the star guard Cade Cunningham will be key for a developing Pistons team next season. However, the Pistons have to continue practicing patience. Throwing money at a single star won’t solve all of their issues.