George heading to 76ers, Caldwell-Pope to Magic, CP3 to Spurs, AP sources say

Paul George is going back to the Eastern Conference, and surely has made Joel Embiid very happy in the process.

George will sign a four-year, $212 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, a person with knowledge of the move told The Associated Press early Monday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal cannot be finalized until July 6 by NBA rule.

The move was finalized a few hours into the start of NBA free agency, but Embiid — Philadelphia's center and the 2022-23 NBA MVP — began planting the seeds for this at least a couple weeks ago. He and George made a television appearance together during the NBA Finals, one where the Philadelphia center suggested he'd like to see the veteran wing join him with the 76ers.

And it happened. The Los Angeles Clippers, now George's former team, said earlier Sunday night that he would not be back with them going forward — and from there, it was just a matter of the nine-time All-Star working out terms with the 76ers.

“Paul has informed us that he is signing his next contract with another team,” the Clippers said in a release.

The team added: “We negotiated for months with Paul and his representative on a contract that would make sense for both sides, and we were left far apart. The gap was significant. We understand and respect Paul’s decision to look elsewhere for his next contract.”

George had a $48.8 million option for this coming season but did not exercise it, entering free agency — which opened Sunday night — instead. It was believed there was a chance that George and the Clippers could have still gotten something done, but the team made clear that those hopes are gone.

“We will miss Paul,” the Clippers said.

At 34, George is still elite — averaging 22.6 points this past season, the ninth consecutive season in which he has averaged at least 20 points per game.

Meanwhile, James Harden is staying with the Clippers on a two-year contract that includes a player option, a person with knowledge of that decision told AP earlier Sunday.

Harden’s deal — which could be worth up to $70 million if he opts into 2025-26 — was agreed upon in principle before free agency technically started, said the person who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity because neither Harden nor the Clippers had announced the agreement.

Harden, a 10-time NBA All-Star, averaged 16.6 points and 8.5 assists last season for the Clippers, who will move into their new Intuit Dome home when this coming season starts.

Elsewhere, veteran guard Chris Paul is going to team up with rookie of the year Victor Wembanyama in San Antonio on a one-year deal, a person with knowledge of that agreement said.

Paul was waived earlier Sunday by the Golden State Warriors, who would have had to pay him $30 million for the coming season otherwise. ESPN reported the Spurs will pay Paul around $11 million. The 39-year-old Paul averaged 9.2 points and 6.8 assists in 58 games with the Warriors last season.

And Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is going to bring his championship experience to the Orlando Magic, a team that made a big jump this past season and now is trying to become an even stronger contender in the East.

Caldwell-Pope — a two-time champion guard — was finalizing a three-year, $66 million deal with the Magic, a person with knowledge of the decision said. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to AP because the deal cannot be finalized until the league's offseason moratorium is lifted on July 6.

It's a big get for the rising Magic, who won 47 games — their most in 13 years — and got back to the playoffs this past season. Caldwell-Pope was part of title-winning teams with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020 and the Denver Nuggets in 2023. He averaged 10.1 points for the Nuggets this past season while shooting nearly 41% from 3-point range.

In other notable moves Sunday:

— Kevin Love was completing a new two-year contract with the Miami Heat worth about $8 million, a person with knowledge of that deal told AP, the move coming one day after he did not opt into what would have been a $4 million contract for this coming season with the club. Love had said repeatedly last season that he has no intentions of leaving Miami.

— Andre Drummond agreed to a two-year contract worth about $10 million (the second year as an option) to join the Philadelphia 76ers, a team that he appeared in 49 games for during the 2021-22 season. Drummond spent the last two seasons in Chicago — he averaged 8.4 points and 9.0 rebounds this past season in only 17 minutes per game — and would be valuable insurance alongside Embiid in the 76ers' big-man rotation. “I'm in the mood for a Philly cheesesteak,” Drummond posted on social media.

— Obi Toppin is being rewarded nicely for his strong first season with Indiana. A person with knowledge of the agreement said he and the Pacers were finalizing a four-year deal worth nearly $60 million. Toppin averaged a career-best 10.3 points last season, his first with Indiana after three years in New York.

— Promising wing Max Christie is returning to the Los Angeles Lakers with a four-year, $32 million contract, a person with knowledge of the deal told AP. The 21-year-old Christie averaged 3.8 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.8 assists during his first two NBA seasons.

— The NBA set the salary cap at at $140.588 million for the 2024-25 season, down slightly — about $400,000 or so — from what teams had been told to expect. The tax level was set at $170.814 million, the first apron level will be $178.132 million, the second apron level will be $188.931 million, the non-taxpayer mid-level is $12.822 million, the taxpayer mid-level is $5.168 million, and the room mid-level is $7.983 million.

AP Sports Writers Greg Beacham in Los Angeles and Dan Gelston in Philadelphia contributed.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

FILE - Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul George, left, tries to shoots as Dallas Mavericks guard Josh Green, center, and center Daniel Gafford defend during the first half in Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in Los Angeles. George will sign a four-year, $212 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, a person with knowledge of the move told The Associated Press early Monday, July 1, 2024.(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)

FILE - Golden State Warriors guard Chris Paul, top left, looks to shoot against Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Francisco, Sunday, April 14, 2024. Veteran guard Chris Paul is going to team up with rookie of the year Victor Wembanyama in San Antonio on a one-year deal, a person with knowledge of that agreement said. Paul was waived earlier Sunday, June 30, by the Golden State Warriors.(AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn, FIle)

FILE - Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid, left, tries to hang onto the ball against Los Angeles Clippers' Paul George during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022, in Philadelphia. Paul George is going back to the Eastern Conference, and surely has made Joel Embiid very happy in the process. George will sign a four-year, $212 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, a person with knowledge of the move told The Associated Press early Monday, July 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)

FILE - Miami Heat's Kevin Love, right, looks to shoot against Milwaukee Bucks' Pat Connaughton, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Feb. 13, 2024, in Milwaukee. Love was finalizing a new contract Sunday, June 30, 2024, to remain with the Heat, a person with knowledge told The Associated Press. Love's new deal was to be in the range of $4 million annually. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash, File)

FILE - Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) drives past Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic during Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series April 28, 2024, in Dallas. As NBA free agency opened Sunday, June 30, 2024, Harden agreed to stay with the Clippers on a two-year contract worth up to $70 million, a person with knowledge of that agreement told The Associated Press. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter, File)

FILE - Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George, right, and Jerry West attend a groundbreaking ceremony of the Intuit Dome, Sept. 17, 2021, in Inglewood, Calif. The two-day NBA draft was tinged with sadness for the Clippers, who were without West in their war room. West spent the last seven years as a consultant for the team, helping recruit Kawhi Leonard and George. The Hall of Famer died June 12 at age 86. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu, File)

DENVER (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 39 points on 15-of-19 shooting and the Los Angeles Clippers evened their first-round playoff series against the Nuggets with a 105-102 win in Denver on Monday night.

“It feels like he didn't miss a shot,” James Harden said. “His shot-making ability is elite.”

Good thing, too, because his teammates were a combined 26 of 66 for a 39% clip.

“I made shots tonight,” Leonard said. “I just keep playing, try to stay in the zone no matter if I’m making or missing shots.”

And the fifth-seeded Clippers needed every bit of his brilliance to snatch the homecourt advantage in the series from the fourth-seeded Nuggets.

“This is what Kawhi lives for, getting healthy for the playoffs,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “We know if we've got a healthy Kawhi, we can win any series.”

After appearing in just two playoff games over the last two years, the 33-year-old two-time Finals MVP is healthy and looking like his old self after missed the first 34 games of the season because of lingering issues with his surgically repaired knees.

“I'm just happy I'm able to move, you know, coming out of the game feeling well,” Leonard said. “I sat and watched these playoff games the last two years, so yeah, to be front-line out there, it feels good.”

Christian Braun was long on a 3-pointer with 6 seconds left, and Nikola Jokic, who recorded his 19th career playoff triple-double, grabbed the rebound but also missed a 3, with 1 second remaining.

The series shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3 Thursday night.

The Clippers, who lost Game 1 in overtime, haven’t lost back-to-back games since March 2-4, a stretch of 23 games, and they handed David Adelman his first loss in five games since replacing Michael Malone in a stunning move on the eve of the playoffs.

Jokic, just the third player to average a triple-double over a season, had 26 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists and Jamal Murray added 23 points for the Nuggets, who also got a bounce-back game from Michael Porter Jr. (15 points and 15 rebounds) after his 3-point performance in Game 1.

It wasn't enough against Leonard, who had 21 points at the break, including a pull-up 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer that broke a 52-all tie.

“To his credit, he was awesome tonight,” Adelman said.

“He just got to his spots,” Murray said. “And even when we're there he made some tough shots. He had a night. He got going and he was tough to stop.”

Leonard also had a key steal of a Jokic pass with 37 seconds remaining in the game, but Harden missed at the other end and Braun grabbed the defensive rebound with 11 seconds left.

The Nuggets committed 20 turnovers — the same number the Clippers had in Game 1 — and missed eight free throws. “That was a killer,” Adelman said.

Jokic had an uncharacteristic seven turnovers and missed 4 of 10 free throws.

Porter sprained his left shoulder in the closing minutes when he turned the ball over and hit the floor with Kris Dunn rolling over him in the scramble. Porter grimaced while getting dressed afterward and said he hoped that his shooting in L.A. won't be affected being that it was his left shoulder.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac, top right, looks to pass the ball to guard James Harden, bottom right, as Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., left, defends in the first half of Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoff series Monday, April 21, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden, center front, looks to pass the ball as Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (32), forward Michael Porter Jr., center back, and center Nikola Jokic, right, defend in the first half of Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoff series Monday, April 21, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, top, drives to the basket as Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden, bottom, defends in the first half of Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoff series Monday, April 21, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, right, looks to pass the ball as Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, left, and forward Michael Porter Jr., center, defend in the first half of Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoff series Monday, April 21, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac, right, drives past Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, left, in the first half of Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoff series Monday, April 21, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)