During a recent segment on the ‘Podcast P’ show, Clippers star Paul George opened up on his mindset for free agency this year. According to Paul, he’s not looking for an easy path to the ring, only a place where he can thrive and play the game in the right way.
“I want to contribute to winning basketball but at this point, it’s not even about ‘chasing a championship’ but it’s playing the right style of basketball is what I’m chasing.”
George, 34, is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer after five seasons with the Clippers. Alongside Kawhi Leonard he helped remake the Clippers’ image into one of the most well-respected franchises in the league. After trying to negotiate a new contract all season, the two sides remain deadlocked on a deal and George will be able to sign with any team starting July 1st.
With a history involving the Pacers, Thunder, and Clippers, George has played for winning teams before despite never capturing a championship. But for the 6’8″ swingman, he prefers to find a team with the right fit over the one with the easiest path to win.
Instead of ring chasing, he wants to play the game the “right” way and in such a manner that empowers his teammates. Nobody knows what this ideal team for George (8x All-Star) might be, but it’s hard to believe that he’s describing the Clippers given their aptitude for load management and their years of failure in the postseason.
As the summer’s top free agent, Paul George will control the headlines for many days and the path he chooses next could have profound implications on the NBA playoff picture.
Paul George Says A Lack Of Depth Was The Clippers’ Fatal Mistake
On paper, the Clippers have arguably the best roster in the West but when it comes time to deliver, they have consistently failed to get it done. Since the start of the George and Kawhi era, the team has only advanced to the Western Conference Finals once. This past season, they fell in the very first round to the Dallas Mavericks.
Fans around the league are blaming the stars for the team’s shortcomings, but George says that giving up crucial role-players is what made the biggest difference in the end.
“We lost RoCo. We lost Nico. Those were our glue guys,” said George. “They would go get rebounds. They would rotate. They were defensive guys. They did a lot of the dirty work. Now — myself and Kawhi we become the dirty guys and have to score too. And it was just a lot.”
The deal that George mentions here was the one for James Harden back in October of 2023. The 76ers sent Harden, P.J. Tucker, and Filip Petrusev to the Clippers in exchange for Marcus Morris, Robert Covington, Nic Batum, KJ Martin, a 2028 unprotected first-round pick, two second-round picks, a pick swap, and an additional first-round pick from the Oklahoma City Thunder.
After giving up so much of their depth for Harden, the Clippers lost part of what made them such a tough matchup. Without the same depth and versatility as before, they were unable to survive in the wake of Kawhi Leonard’s injury and the season ended in disaster once again.
If Paul George ever wants to win a ring before he retires, it may require cutting ties with the Clippers altogether so he can find a place that puts his talents to the best use.
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