-
Ohm Youngmisuk, ESPN editor
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — In his first game against the LA Clippers at the Intuit Dome, Paul George received a video tribute but also heard plenty of boos all night from The Wall in the new arena.
In front of an announced crowd of 15,627, George made 7 of 9 shots and had 18 points, 7 rebounds and 3 steals, but his former team routed the Philadelphia 76ers 110-98.
George said he appreciated the video tribute and called the Clippers franchise “first class.” He said his return was met with a fair and mixed reaction, but he didn’t understand or care about the boos after helping the Clippers reach their only Western Conference Finals appearance in 2021.
“It’s stupid,” George said when asked if he was surprised to hear boos after playing five seasons in Los Angeles. “I mean, I was a free agent, you know what I mean? It’s not something that I demanded a trade or went against the team here. I was a free agent. The team presented something friendly and I did what was best for me in the situation.
“Then there were cheers. I appreciate them. Those are the ones I played hard for. The boos, I didn’t understand. I still don’t understand when I go back to Indy, but it is what it is. It’s sport. I can’t wait to be back here next year and have some more boos.
After five seasons playing for the Clippers, George signed a four-year contract worth up to $212 million as a free agent with the Philadelphia 76ers this summer. George said he wanted to remain a Clipper. But he wanted a no-trade clause to come with a three-year, $150 million extension or a four-year max deal, and the Clippers refused to do either.
After George’s departure, some Clippers fans were angered by comments he made on his podcast, “Podcast P with Paul George,” when he described returning to his hometown of Los Angeles to join the Clippers as if he were part of the “B team”. ” because so many Lakers fans would tell him he should have joined the Lakers.
Some fans at The Wall, a section where the Clippers’ most ardent fans stand in unbroken rows behind the basket near the opposing bench, brought with them signs referencing George’s podcast. Several fans held up signs reading “PG, THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK.”
George, playing only his second game after suffering a bruised left knee late in the preseason, said he didn’t see many signs.
“Oh, well, I’m sure they’re probably all subscribed,” George said, referring to his podcast. “So it’s a win-win. That’s two wins against The Wall, I guess.
During the first half, when the Sixers had to shoot at the basket near The Wall, George made both of his free throw attempts. In the season-opening overtime loss to the Phoenix Suns, Clippers fans at The Wall managed to distract Kevin Durant enough for him to miss a pair of free throws.
George said Wednesday morning that he doesn’t blame the Clippers organization for not re-signing him. He cited his “awesome” relationship with team owner Steve Ballmer and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank.
“I think it was misinterpreted or the narrative wasn’t written correctly with the relationship with Lawrence (Frank), the relationship with Steve Ballmer,” George said before the Sixers had their morning shootout at UCLA. “I mean, they’ve been great the whole time I’ve been here.
“That’s kind of why the decision was so shocking how it played out in the end.” But they were great. My time here, I think it was pretty refreshing to be next door and have a partnership like that with a front office. And so I think that was probably the highlight of it all (time with the Clippers). How great they have been during my tenure here.
Frank told ESPN he was willing to give the Kawhi Leonard-George tandem three more years by extending George to the same three-year, $150 million contract he gave Leonard in January. But the team would not grant George a no-trade clause with this deal or a four-year max deal, citing roster flexibility, age and the new collective bargaining agreement’s second apron, which penalizes luxury, tax-paying teams like the Clippers. .
Aside from the boos, George said he felt a lot of love from old friends from his old team and many family members and friends in the building. He hung out with former teammates, like James Harden, before the game and didn’t leave the court for a good 15 minutes afterward, as he caught up with other former teammates, like Ivica Zubac, and hugged his arms his parents, employees and friends of the Clippers. who were at the edge of the field.
“There are no hard feelings,” George said when asked about hard feelings that might form when a star leaves a franchise. “I talked to these guys throughout the whole process. James knew what I was doing. Kawhi knew what I was doing. Russ (Westbrook) knew what I was doing. I talked to all these guys, so there was no bad blood.
“At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if we’re teammates or not, these are lifelong bonds that you build and whatever happens in basketball doesn’t affect that relationship.”
George said he thought Intuit Dome was as spectacular as advertised, but it was only missing one thing: more Clippers fans.
“It’s been awesome,” he said of the Clippers’ new home. “I wish it was a little fuller. I didn’t think it was full enough for it to be the Clippers’ one.
“But the facilities, this thing is amazing. What Ballmer did, his vision and how it came to life, it’s the best arena in which to play.