On the most recent episode of his podcast, new Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George spoke about his five-year stint with the Los Angeles Clippers. George said that playing for the Clippers instead of the Los Angeles Lakers felt like playing for “the B Team.”
Paul George:
“I think initially, coming back to LA that was home. But it’s not the same love. Because when I was in LA, they said, ‘you should’ve been a Laker.’ That’s all I was hearing… I’m on the B Team. That’s how the vibe and the love felt.”
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) July 23, 2024
George, a California native, originally joined the Clippers in the 2019 NBA offseason. With the Clippers, George was a three-time All-Star and a one-time All-NBA Third Team selection. During this stint, he averaged 23.2 points, 6 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. He also shot 45.5% from the field and 39.7% from beyond the arc with the Clippers.
Former Clippers Star Gets Brutally Honest About Team
Paul George is Excited to Play for the Philadelphia 76ers
With George joining the 76ers, the team is now considered a serious title contender. Last season, the 76ers ended with a 47-35 record and earned the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference. This includes star Joel Embiid appearing in just 39 regular season games. Now, the team looks significantly different than the one that lost to the New York Knicks in the first round of the playoffs.
In addition to George, the 76ers signed veterans like Eric Gordon, Andre Drummond, and Caleb Martin. The team also re-signed Kelly Oubre, Kyle Lowry, and Tyrese Maxey. Additionally, the 76ers drafted guard Jared McCain with the No. 16 pick in the NBA Draft. Philadelphia lost players like Tobias Harris and Buddy Hield, but they look like an improved team on paper.
Recently, George spoke about the 76ers and said he thinks the team has “a real legitimate shot” at winning a championship.
Paul George: “I think we have a real, legitimate shot.”
Says he’s admired Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey from afar and that Embiid was secretly one of his long-time All-Star friends.
— Austin Krell (@NBAKrell) July 23, 2024
Furthermore, George said he felt that teaming up with Embiid and Maxey was “inevitable.”
Paul George:
“I’ve always been a fan of Tyrese Maxey… and Joel has secretly been one of my closest All-Star game friends. It kinda felt inevitable that we would link up and be teammates.”
(via @sixers, h/t @theScore) pic.twitter.com/TKtwBMnchq
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 23, 2024
Lowry, Martin, and newly-acquired guard Reggie Jackson are the only three players with NBA Finals experience on the team. However, it is clear the 76ers are a threat to come out of the Eastern Conference and win their first championship since 1983.
The Last Word on Paul George
Despite playing some of the best basketball of his career with the Clippers, it is fair to say the team underachieved during his run there. Every year, the Clippers were considered title contenders. However, they never made it to the NBA Finals and advanced to the Conference Finals just once (2021). With George going to Philadelphia, it will be interesting to see how the outlook changes for both teams involved.
