Paul George made a bold switch this summer by leaving his hometown Los Angeles Clippers for the Philadelphia 76ers. Former Clippers swingman Quentin Richardson reacted to George’s move in an interview with ClutchPoints, understanding George’s motivations to maximize the money he can make while still competing for a title.
“I wish PG all the best. And we as former players absolutely know that this is a business… You gotta get what you think your value is and ultimately is you just gotta live out the four years of that contract so you gotta make the best move for you and your family. And he went to a great situation.”
“He’s in a situation where he should be competing, competing for a championship. Glad he’s over in the East not going against the guys here. But like, that’s just one of those things, man, that sometimes it happens. I mean, I was glad to hear the way he handled it with Kawhi, their friendship is intact and they talked about what was going on and Kawhi, supported him. So man, to me, that’s the biggest thing, man. Everything is all good and we wish him well.”
George spent the entirety of last season with questions about his future after he refused to sign a discounted contract extension with the Clippers as Kawhi Leonard had done.
With the 76ers happily offering him a four-year, $212 million contract to play alongside a recent MVP like Joel Embiid and a transcendent guard like Tyrese Maxey, George is now one of the core pieces of a team widely expected to compete for a title immediately.
The Clippers Might Still Be Contenders Without Paul George
It’s hard to predict how well the Clippers can do next season. They have one of the best coaches in the NBA alongside Kawhi Leonard, who made All-NBA last season. James Harden isn’t the MVP-level player he used to be, but is still one of the best playmakers in the NBA. The Clippers added a lot of depth this offseason as well, so the team has the ingredients to be successful.
Former Clippers point guard Baron Davis believes that George’s departure won’t affect the Clippers as much, calling it a ‘blessing in disguise’ on Sccop B Radio.
“Paul George is my dawg. That’s my brother and so I’m always player-first… and for the Clippers, who knows, sometimes it can be a blessing in disguise because it forces you now to actually play through Kawhi and James Harden. So you have two superstars and you pick up some good players in free agency and I think they signed a sleeper in free agency which is Kevin Porter Jr.”
George averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists last season, so replacing that production won’t be easy. They can’t rely on Kawhi as heavily again either given how his knees couldn’t last beyond March, rendering him injured for yet another Playoff run.
Hopefully, depth pieces such as Derrick Jones Jr. can be impactful, otherwise, the Clippers might find themselves lost in the crowded West.
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