Warriors trade offer for Paul George could prove career-defining moment for wing pair

Paul George's return to L.A to face the Clippers on Wednesday provided a reminder of his offseason move, and just how close he came to joining the Golden State Warriors.

The Warriors had a two-part plan to acquire both George and fellow All-Star forward Lauri Markkanen, making for what would have been a vastly different roster to the one that has so greatly impressed through the first eight games of this season.

The Warriors offer for Paul George reportedly involved three players

Golden State ended up with neither player, with Mike Dunleavy Jr. and the front office unable to reach agreements with the Clippers or Utah Jazz. It's now been revealed what the likely final offer was for George according to Sam Amick of The Athletic on Thursday.

..."The most likely scenario being Golden State sending Andrew Wiggins, Chris Paul, Moses Moody and a first-round pick their (Clippers) way in exchange for George," Amick wrote.

As previously reported by Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN, Amick reiterated that the Clippers were willing to make a deal had Jonathan Kuminga been involved in the deal. The Warriors weren't prepared to go that far to acquire the 9x All-Star, leaving a stalemate between the two teams and George to ultimately opt out of his contract and join the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency.

The offseason could prove a major turning point for all players involved, particularly Moody who was reportedly involved in Golden State's offer for Markkanen shortly after. Instead of finding himself in Los Angeles or Utah, the fourth-year wing remains in the Bay and even signed a three-year, $39 million extension with the franchise prior to the October 21 deadline. Moody has started four of the Warriors' last five games and is averaging a career-high 10.4 points on 50.9% shooting from the floor and 48.6% from three-point range.

Wiggins' name has constantly come up in trade discussions over the last year, having endured the worst season of his career in 2023-24. There's a strong chance he would have been moved had his trade value not deteriorated so significantly, yet he too remains with Golden State and has enjoyed a strong start to the season. The 2022 All-Star is currently averaging 15.8 points and 4.8 rebounds while shooting over 40% from beyond the arc.

After being so close to being moved on multiple occasions, Moody and Wiggins could now see themselves as key parts of the Golden State future for years to come. The Clippers decision to deny the Warriors a George trade could prove a career-defining one for many, and could actually result as a positive outcome for both teams.