Report: Clippers Didn’t Think Paul George Would Leave Since His Parents Could Attend Home Games

According to NBA insider Law Murray of The Athletic, the Los Angeles Clippers didn’t think Paul George would leave since his parents could attend home games. 

George declined his 2024-25 player option with the Clippers and signed a four-year, $211 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. 

The Clippers never offered George a four-year deal. 

“It became clear in June that the Clippers were not budging on their offer,” Murray wrote. “Discussions were ongoing, but George was increasingly turned off by the Clippers’ belief that he wouldn’t leave just so that his family could go to the games, a source close to George told The Athletic. That paled in comparison to the leverage George had as an All-Star with a player option, and a max contract offer from the Philadelphia 76ers, a playoff team with a champion head coach and a recent NBA Most Valuable Player.”

The Sixers now have a “Big 3” of George, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

Meanwhile, the Clippers are left with Kawhi Leonard, James Harden and Russell Westbrook, although Westbrook is expected to get traded. 

After losing George, the Clippers added Derrick Jones Jr., Kris Dunn, Mo Bamba and Nicolas Batum. 

One of the top players in the NBA, George averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.5 blocks for the Clippers in 2023-24 while shooting 47.1% from the field, 41.3% from beyond the arc and 90.7% from the free-throw line.

The Clippers lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the 2024 playoffs in six games.

George has career averages of 20.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.4 blocks with the Indiana Pacers, Oklahoma City Thunder and Clippers. He was born and raised in Palmdale, California. 

George has made nine All-Star teams, six All-NBA teams and four All-Defensive teams.

The Clippers never reached the NBA Finals in the Leonard-George era. Neither All-Star could stay healthy when it mattered most.