Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George has been rumored to be one of the top trade candidates this offseason, but there are now indications that he won't be going anywhere.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst said on this week's episode of The Hoop Collective (11:03 mark) that teams like the Philadelphia 76ers that explored trading for George got the notion that his preference is to remain in Los Angeles.

"I'm not so sure Paul George really wanted to leave the West Coast. I think that was something Philadelphia kind of ran into when they kicked the tires there," Windhorst said.

George is a Los Angeles native, so it makes sense that he would want to remain close to home. Windhorst's report doesn't guarantee that the Clippers won't end up trading the nine-time All-Star this offseason, but it would be a surprise if they sent him to another Western Conference team that would stand in their way of contending for an NBA championship.

George has the opportunity to decline his player option for the 2024-25 season and test the open market. He's been seeking a max contract extension, but the Clippers have yet to meet his contract demands, which could lead to them being forced to give him up.

NBA insider Marc Stein reported earlier this week that "there is a growing feeling leaguewide that the 34-year-old picking up his $48.8 million player option for next season to force the Clippers to trade him is an increasingly realistic scenario."

The Golden State Warriors were named among the teams that would be potential suitors for George. While it's an intriguing idea to pair George with star point guard Stephen Curry, the Warriors likely would have to pay a hefty price to convince the Clippers to trade him within the Pacific Division. Golden State would likely have to involve another team in the deal to make it happen.

George's decision to stay with Los Angeles or force a trade elsewhere will be the biggest domino that has to fall this offseason for teams that are looking to figure out their best paths toward title contention in the 2024-25 campaign.

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