I don’t even know what OKC is hoping for with George. Even if he opts out, they can only sign minimum-salary players and can’t fill their roster to avoid going over the tax (in other words, signing only minimums and having 15 players puts them in the tax, so they have to stick with 14.)
Can they even afford to sign PG13? That would put them roughly $30 million over the tax, which is a $90 million luxury tax. I almost think they’d rather lose him to the Lakers and tell their fans they tried, rather than paying $120 million next year (salary plus tax) to keep him on a team with a 2nd-round ceiling.
EDIT: OKC is repeater tax eligible this year, so keeping George would give them a $120 million tax bill alone, plus his $30 million salary. They are in such a bind.