Paul George laments that the Los Angeles Lakers didn’t trade for him when they had the chance to do so last season.
The Cali native wanted to “come back home” and play in front of friends and family.
The OKC Thunder ended up pulling the trigger instead, and inked George to a four-year, $137 million deal this summer.
In ESPN series finale, Paul George calls move to #Thunder 'a beautiful thing' (via @BDawsonWrites) https://t.co/DfBzZBxprE
— Jeff Patterson (@jeffpattOKC) July 4, 2018
Per The Oklahoman (via ESPN):
“I 100 percent appreciate Laker Nation for wanting me to come back home, wanting me to play in front of them,” George said in the episode. “I wanted to come here a year ago, prior to going to OKC. Unfortunately, wasn’t traded to the Lakers. Lakers didn’t grab me. I was traded to Oklahoma, and that has been a beautiful thing for me.”
George called the process of making a decision “very stressful” and said it “wasn’t easy.” But the final episode paints a picture of a player on the same page with the organization that traded for him a season ago.
“It’s more than just loyalty,” George said. “It’s about doing what I think is right. I feel this is the best and the perfect opportunity to cement myself and to bring a championship where it hasn’t been brought. They’ve welcomed me with open arms, and I want them to feel that hype that I have towards what I think we can accomplish there. I want to be a part of something that’s special and something that I’ve created. In Oklahoma, I think it’s something that I can create there.”
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