Paul George mentioned he by no means needed to go away Los Angeles however that negotiations on an extension with the Clippers began with a surprisingly “disrespectful” first provide.
George signed a four-year, $212-million max free agent cope with the Philadelphia 76ers. However the All-Star guard mentioned on “Podcast P with Paul George” that he was prepared to stick with the Clippers for the three-year, $150-million extension they gave Kawhi Leonard however with a no-trade clause hooked up. George mentioned the Clippers would not do this or give him a four-year, $212-million contract if they would not connect a no-trade clause.
“I by no means needed to go away L.A.,” George mentioned on his podcast. “L.A. is dwelling, that is the place I needed to complete at, and I needed to work as laborious as attainable to win one in L.A. That was the objective, to be right here and be dedicated to L.A. Because it performed out although, the primary preliminary deal was I believed form of disrespectful. In all of this, no laborious emotions, no love misplaced … it is a enterprise. So the primary preliminary deal was like two years, 60. So I am like, whoa, whoa, whoa.
“That is loopy! I am like, ‘Naw, I am not signing that.'”
Earlier than George agreed to phrases with the Sixers at the beginning of free company, the Clippers mentioned in an announcement that “the hole was vital” in talks to maintain the guard in Los Angeles and that the group needed to be conscious of the brand new collective bargaining settlement, which made roster-building extremely restrictive for tax-paying groups.
“Heading into this offseason, our roster was constructed [with] three nice gamers 33 and over, two of whom may develop into free brokers,” the Clippers mentioned of Leonard, George and James Harden, who agreed to a two-year, $70 million free agent deal to stick with the workforce.
“We needed to retain them on contracts that may permit us, underneath the constraints of the brand new CBA, to proceed constructing the workforce. We negotiated for months with Paul and his consultant on a contract that may make sense for each side, and we have been left far aside. The hole was vital.”
George detailed that preliminary provide from the Clippers got here in October. The Clippers, who may have signed George and Leonard to an extension as much as 4 years and $221 million, would strike a three-year, $150-million extension with Leonard in early January. Leonard defined he took lower than the max partially as a result of hope of conserving George and Harden as effectively.
At that time, George was nonetheless optimistic that he may get the identical extension with the Clippers. However he mentioned the workforce would solely “go up inches, inches, inches to the place it was like 44-45 million per 12 months after the preliminary provide.
“Then I hear wind of what they are going to give Kawhi so I am like, ‘Simply give me what Kawhi obtained,'” George mentioned. “‘Y’all view us the identical. We got here right here collectively, we need to end this s— collectively.’ I will take what Kawhi obtained, no drawback, I used to be cool with that and we have been nonetheless taking much less. Kawhi took much less, so if Kawhi takes much less, it is not about me being paid greater than him.
“Y’all give him that, give me that. They did not need to do this.”
George mentioned that was earlier than the All-Star break and he determined to desk talks as a result of he did not need it to have an effect on his temper. When he was requested by reporters the place his contract talks stood throughout the season, George’s solutions turned quick to the purpose the place he declined to speak concerning the matter previous to the beginning of the playoffs.
George, 34, performed 74 regular-season video games — his most since he was traded to the Clippers earlier than the 2019-20 season. The nine-time All-Star averaged 22.6 factors, 5.2 rebounds and three.5 assists. He shot profession highs of 47.1% from the sphere, 41.3% from 3-point vary and 90.7% from the free throw line.
George mentioned after the season, the Clippers have been prepared to supply him what they gave Leonard. However George needed a no-trade clause as effectively. When the workforce declined, George mentioned he requested for a four-year, $212 million deal in order that within the case that he was traded later by the Clippers, he would have the contract he needed.
George mentioned he spoke to Leonard earlier than leaving for Philadelphia and that Leonard was supportive.
“I owed Kawhi that dialog,” George mentioned. “He understood like, ‘Go get your bag.’ I have a look at Kawhi as certainly one of my greatest associates on this league. Anyone that I f— with. Our households love one another. So it was robust to go away him simply with how a lot I loved being on the market with him. That weighed loads on me, simply, rattling, I am leaving my boy. We talked and he gave me his blessings of like, ‘Man, simply go do what’s greatest for you.'”
After the 2 determined to workforce up in the summertime of 2019 and develop into Clippers, the pair have cut up up with only one Western Convention finals look to point out in 5 seasons collectively, as accidents marred the Leonard-George Clippers period.
“We could not stay wholesome as a unit,” George mentioned. “However I believed I did sufficient to earn that [three-year, $150-million deal with a no-trade clause]. They did not need to do it. So it was only a stalemate. In the end it was like, all proper, that ship has sailed. … I like Steve [Ballmer], I like Lawrence [Frank], however at that time it did not even really feel proper to return again with that kind of vitality and be comfy enjoying again in L.A.”