The Los Angeles Clippers have a lot of soul-searching to do in the summer after getting booted out by the Dallas Mavericks in their playoff duel. The Clips were officially eliminated on Friday after losing to the Mavs, 114-101, in Game 6 of their first-round matchup.
With the team's first option missing, as Kawhi Leonard was out due to a right knee inflammation, per NBA.com . Norman Powell, Paul George, and James Harden tried to carry the fight for LA, but their effort was not enough.
Powell finished with 20 points and 4 rebounds, while PG-13 chipped in 18 points and 11 rebounds. Harden, for his part, scored 16 points, 13 assists, and 7 rebounds.
Harden mum on future
The Beard is set to become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason, and there is no telling if he will be back with the Clips. Harden was asked that question, and it was apparent that the 2018 Most Valuable Player was in no mood to talk about it for now.
"I don't even know," Harden told the LA Times . "You're asking me a question that I don't have the answer to. I haven't even thought about it."
Acquired by the Clippers back in November, the three-time scoring champ managed to fit in. He played in 72 regular-season games, averaging 16.6 points, 8.5 assists, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in 34.3 minutes in his first season with the team.
The 10-time All-Star would increase his scoring in the playoffs by 22.2 points in five games, aware he needed to step up against the Mavs. Unfortunately, that was not enough to lift the Clips past the Mavs.
After earning $35 million this season, the future of "The Beard" with the Clips hangs. It may boil down to how much the Clippers can afford to offer to the 3rd overall pick of the 2009 Draft.
Playoff P to weigh options
Another vital piece of the Clippers puzzle will take time to consider his options, as PG-13 has a player option for $48.7 million. His decision on that is essential for the future of this squad. The best Los Angeles could offer the nine-time All-Star is a four-year extension worth around $221 million, which would be his last big contract considering his age.
However, the options for the 10th overall pick of the 2010 Draft are not confined to the Clips. Other teams, namely the Philadelphia 76ers and the Orlando Magic, are keeping tabs on his status. Young Trece admits that he is not thinking about that now as he tries to recover after their disappointing exit.
"I got a lot to kind of digest myself, so I haven't even got to that yet... But I'm not just there yet," the 34-year-old stated .
George defends Kawhi
One player that will be in the hot seat is Leonard. Injuries have been a big problem for "The Claw." While he performs well when healthy, his future with the team is something that management must deliberate on. However, George came to the defense of the two-time NBA champion and stressed how Kawhi badly wanted to play and help the team.
"You could see it on him. He wanted to be out there. He wanted to be with us," George said.
Leonard signed a three-year extension that will pay him $152 million per ESPN . The deal was signed back in January and will start next season.
Heading into the summer, the Clippers are likely to try to keep their core. However, team owner Steve Ballmer will need to assess and figure out his finances in order to deal with the fat contracts of guys like George and Harden. Considering the level of interest before joining the Clippers, Harden could agree to a pay cut. This could also be a factor in whatever PG-13 decides.
For now, the Clippers will try to get over their playoff exit. But in a couple of months, Ballmer and his team will have to decide whether it is worth keeping the team intact or trading away some of its top names.
Related: Paul Pierce says that the Clippers have taken James Harden's moody personality: "It's such a huge discrepancy from his highs and lows"
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