Paul George has made some interesting comments lately regarding his time with the Los Angeles Clippers and has been getting mocked on social media for it. On the latest episode of Podcast P with Paul George, the 34-year-old surprisingly revealed he felt like he was on the B team in Los Angeles when he was with the Clippers.
“I think initially, coming back to L.A., that was home when I first came back to L.A., but it’s not the same love,” George said. “When I was in L.A., they were like, ‘Man, you should’ve been a Laker.’ That’s all I was hearing. It wasn’t like no, ‘Yo, welcome to the Clippers.’ ‘We’re happy you’re here in L.A., but you should’ve been a Laker.’ I’m on the B team. That’s how the vibe and the love felt.”
Paul George says playing for the Clippers instead of the Lakers felt like he was playing for the "B Team."
(🎥 @PodcastPShow / h/t @Ralph_MasonJr )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 23, 2024
Those certainly were viewed as disrespectful statements, especially from a man who once claimed that he was a Clippers fan growing up.
“For me, I grew up a Clippers fan,” George said. “I loved the Clippers as a kid.”
Paul George went from “growing up a Clippers fan” to realizing he played for the B team. https://t.co/dgXHR0aofT pic.twitter.com/OjAgXfH8jr
— Omer Osman (@OmerOsman200) July 23, 2024
That’s quite the switch-up. George has this knack of burning all bridges with his former teams once he leaves and he has done it again here. He can expect a very frosty reception when he and the Philadelphia 76ers play the Clippers on the road next season.
I am not surprised in the slightest that George felt like a second-class citizen in Los Angeles, but I am amazed that he didn’t see that coming. The Los Angeles Lakers are the top dog in town and the Clippers haven’t really done anything to change that. Sure, they were beating the Lakers in regular-season games before he arrived but had next to no postseason success.
George was supposed to help change that when he joined the Clippers along with Kawhi Leonard in 2019. The two were expected to shift that vibe in Los Angeles at least a little bit, by taking the team to the top of the mountain but, instead, their time together turned out to be a massive disappointment.
In three of the five seasons that George was a Clipper, the team didn’t even win a playoff series. The farthest they got in the postseason was a trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2021, where they lost in six games to the Phoenix Suns. Had George managed to lead the Clippers to the promised land at some point, then it wouldn’t necessarily have always felt like he was on the B team.
Paul George Has No Regrets About His Time With The Clippers
George held his introductory press conference as a member of the 76ers on Tuesday, where he opened up further on his time with the Clippers.
“Amazing time there. No regrets. Super thankful to Steve and Lawrence, they went out and gave me an opportunity to play at home. At that point in time, it had a ton of value for me, my friends, my family, and have a legitimate shot at chasing a championship every season.”
“Obviously, injuries deterred us a little bit. But to speak on that situation as a whole, there’s no ill will. I am forever grateful for the opportunity they gave me to come back. It didn’t work out, that’s business. I had to make the right decision for my family.”
“So, again, I think both sides had a great mutual talk as the situation played out. I felt there was great closure on the situation. They’re happy for me, I’m happy for them, and I’m a Sixer now.”
I am not sure there is a lot of mutual happiness about how it all ended, as the contract negotiations did seem to cause a bit of a rift between the two parties. Whatever the case, George has ended his Clippers tenure with averages of 23.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game. He now looks to help the 76ers get over the line and get his hands on that elusive championship.
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