*Paul George’s switch from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Philadelphia 76ers is still on the mind of sports fans as the pro baller adjusts to a new team and new day, serving the 76ers faithful in a new NBA phase.
Taking to his “Podcast P with Paul George” show, the athlete’s father, Paul George Sr. wasn’t shy with weighing in on the situation, noting his son’s years of playing for the Clippers and his time as an LA resident. In his eyes, the younger George’s choice to leave the Clippers and Los Angeles comes after a stab in the back.
“It was hurting,” Paul George Sr. said of his son’s departure. “It was like… I felt like they stabbed us in the back because I thought Paul did a whole lot for the team, as far as the fanbase, the fans were there. He was there. I think he gave them 110% and what he was asking, it wasn’t a whole lot. But they saw something different.”
George Sr.’s comments come after the Clippers offered George Jr. a three-year deal roughly around the range of $150 million, which noted how similar the deal was to the one his former Clippers teammate, Kawhi Leonard, got.
Although George initially wanted the four-year, $220 million max, he was open to signing the three-year, $150 million deal with the Clippers, according to Clutchpoints. The kicker was he wanted a rare no-trade clause in the deal to ensure he’d be staying in Los Angeles.
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Once he got wind of the Clippers’ refusal to offer the max or the no-trade clause, and George felt forced to make the best decision for himself and his family.
“I didn’t want him just to take anything,” George Sr. added. “So his whole thing is, he does stand up for what he believes in. And so he felt that that was a bunch of bull that they came at him with. And I wasn’t gonna sugarcoat it either. Yeah, I’m behind you 100%. If you’ve got to leave, we’re gonna leave. Of course, it kind of put us in a little bump and grind, but it’s all good. It’s all good. You love being at home, but then sometimes home can kind of slow you down. He put in work for it and I felt that he should’ve gotten paid for it. And so we didn’t stutter about it. Like what, they came at you like this? Oh nah, you’ve got to go.”
Paul George admitted he met with the Clippers one last time ahead of free agency to give the team a chance to match the offers he wanted.
After the Clippers refused George’s terms, he used the meeting as an opportunity to inform the team of his decision to leave the Clippers.
Fortunately, George didn’t occupy free agency for long. A few hours later, he agreed to a four-year, $212 million max contract with the 76ers, the max he could’ve gotten from any team not named the Clippers, Clutchpoints noted.
Although it was tough leaving Los Angeles, George Sr. admitted to initially looking at his son signing with the Los Angeles Lakers, if leaving the Clippers was an option.
“I was looking at okay, well we’re gonna do next door then [to the Lakers], but they already spent too much money,” George Sr. joked. “I thought we’re gonna still come down in the tunnel, just gonna be wearing a different color.”
Look for Paul George to take the court with his first game in Los Angeles as a 76’er against his former team on Nov.6.
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