Paul George speaks on the Lakers : “It’s too early for L.A.”

[TeamTragic]

Lakers were really confident about signing George. Do they really think they will get both Westbrook/George?

In my opinion they either get both players or neither. I don't see Westbrook/George splitting up.

[Curmudgeon]

So, were the Lakers just a ploy to get out of Indiana? If so, I would be very unhappy if I were a Pacers fan.

[Spens1]

good. It puts pressure on the F.O after a rubbish offseason and says 'hey, it isn't done yet, put a roster around me that can do well long term'.

[3Diamantidis]

Time for you to play bball and stop talking pal.
You are becoming extremely tiresome tbh

[DEEP3CL]

I tried to warn the Laker faithful when discussing PG trades how he can be wishy washy from time to time. He may very well end up in LA, but LA could have ensured that by beating the OKC offer. I just wouldn't be so sure that the guy who said he wanted to be a championship contender in Indy and then 2 days later said he didn't want to play there may change his mind regarding LA. I think PG is one of those guys that doesn't know what he wants. LA got greedy and it very well may come back to bite them in the end. Only time will tell.

Explain how LA got greedy ? They made decent offers, two young players and two 1st round picks. Indy was the one that was greedy and now will pay the price and I mean pay as in $84 mil for a very underachieving VO and a still very raw Sabonis. I'm willing to bet Indy will be trying to move both in 2 years time...

You realize that future LA picks are as worthless as GSW picks because they will have LeBron, Westbrook, Wall, PG13 and Cousins in 2018....

Seriously, it was probably close between the different offers they got, but sending him to OKC is probably much easier for Indy and their fans to live with and that probably factored into the decision. Olidipo is a good player (he's just overpriced), and Sabonis, although unproven, has had his moments - there's nothing that says he can't turn out well too.

I for one LOVE that he is in OKC - even if it is only for one season. It's actually great for the league that Westbrook has another star on that team again. This arrival video on the Thunder twitter brought tears to my eyes - those fans are so happy he's there and I totally understand why .

Read on Twitter

Only thing is the Lakers were offering this drafts picks, not future picks.

[nbafan38]

I have no idea what George is going to do and I don't see how anyone does with how fickle he sounds at times. Honestly everything he said makes sense though, I think he wants to play in LA but also wants to spend his prime on a contender. If OKC can provide him with the feeling they can legitimately win titles, they have a fighting chance to keep him. It would make sense that WCF is the floor because making the conference finals is what it takes to really feel like a contender. OKC definitely has a shot to make the WCF, the disparity between them and Hou/SA is I think exaggerated at times on this board.

[winter_mute_13]

So, were the Lakers just a ploy to get out of Indiana? If so, I would be very unhappy if I were a Pacers fan.

Like a lot of players, he wants to play for a winning team. If he can't play for a winning team, he'd rather play for the one that has sentimental attachments for him. Seems pretty simple.

Are Pacer fans unhappy? Yes we are. We're unhappy that we don't have a winning team anymore. PG has to carry some of the blame for that, as the best player on the team. But I could understand his viewpoint too, because the Pacers' future prospects don't look rosy. It would have been different IMO if we could have offered PG the chance to play with Gordon Hayward for example (whose hometown is Indy), but we didn't even get a meeting. Granted, it was after the PG news broke, but still, not even a courtesy meeting? I mean the freaking Heat got one.

[8305]

I don't think PG is a lock for LA next year. They need to be able to attract another high level free agent or several of the young guys need to blow up. The KCP signing was a solid move. Today I don't think we know who PG's other options might be next year. But there will be some options that will offer a better opportunity to win than LA.

I'm skeptical of that he will be happy playing with RW. I think Durant was frustrated playing with him and I could see PG feeling the same way. If he can deal with being a Robin on offense and lead them on defense (where they could be very good) OKC could be a handful by season's end. Aside from GSW they could compete just fine with anyone out West. As for Houston, the few times we've played them over the years it's not unusual to see PG take Harden out of the game.

I don't agree that the LA offer was head and shoulder better than OKC. Clarkson my have had similar numbers as Oladipo but come on there is still the basic eye test. VC is an elite athelte and I think the more likely outcome than Indiana looking to trade him in two years is that he makes an All Star team. As a prospect I like Sabonis better than Randle too. For a rookie he did some solid work and his game (ability to shoot the 3, solid defensive guy, ability to play either the 4 or the 5) translates much better to today's NBA game. Two end of the first round picks don't close that gap for me.

[Pacers_Freak]

I tried to warn the Laker faithful when discussing PG trades how he can be wishy washy from time to time. He may very well end up in LA, but LA could have ensured that by beating the OKC offer. I just wouldn't be so sure that the guy who said he wanted to be a championship contender in Indy and then 2 days later said he didn't want to play there may change his mind regarding LA. I think PG is one of those guys that doesn't know what he wants. LA got greedy and it very well may come back to bite them in the end. Only time will tell.

Explain how LA got greedy ? They made decent offers, two young players and two 1st round picks. Indy was the one that was greedy and now will pay the price and I mean pay as in $84 mil for a very underachieving VO and a still very raw Sabonis. I'm willing to bet Indy will be trying to move both in 2 years time...

The only legit offer I heard was Clarkson or Randle and 27/28. Doesn't mean that is all there was offered but that was my assumption. Randle is a good player but due to get paid very well next off season. Just a personal opinion but I am not a huge Clarkson fan. My only point was following PG closely since he came into the league I believe if he had been traded to LA he would have stayed there for a long time. Now, I'm not so sure he will go there. I don't think PG knows what he wants to do. It could pay off big time for LA or they could strike out. Only time will tell.

[Jody Smokz]

Im not one of those LA fans that believes PG is a 100 percent lock but if he signs in 2018 I want all of the people getting the jokes off to come back to this thread as confidently as they came in.

[Tricky_Kid]

Interesting article. Sounds like he'll only consider going to LA if they amass other elite talents. Teenage kids like Lonzo and Brandon Ingram aren't gonna get it done for a guy who's trying to win now

“I grew up a Lakers and a Clippers fan,” George says. “I idolized Kobe. There will always be a tie here, a connection here. People saying I want to come here, who doesn’t want to play for their hometown? That’s a dream come true, if you’re a kid growing up on the outskirts of L.A., to be the man in your city. But it’s definitely been overstated. For me, it’s all about winning. I want to be in a good system, a good team. I want a shot to win it. I’m not a stats guy. I’m playing this game to win and build a legacy of winning. I’ve yet to do that. I’m searching for it. If we get a killer season in Oklahoma, we make the conference finals or upset the Warriors or do something crazy, I’d be dumb to want to leave that.”

George will get four eyefuls this season of Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and the young Lakers. Superficial measurements will matter far less than max slots and won-loss records. “It’s too early for L.A.,” he says. “It would have to be a situation where the ball gets rolling and guys are hopping on. This guy commits, that guy commits. ‘Oh s---, now there’s a team forming.’ It has to be like that.” But the same is true for virtually every locale outside of Oakland. “I’m in OKC, so hopefully me and Russ do a good enough job and make it to the conference finals and love the situation, why not recruit someone to come build it with us? I’m open in this whole process.”

https://www.si.com/nba/2017/07/11/paul-george-thunder-trade-kevin-durant-lakers-pacers-russell-westbrook?utm_campaign=sportsillustrated&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&xid=socialflow_facebook_si

Who doesn't want to play for his home team?
Cupcake is right answer

[xxSnEaKyPxx]

Im not one of those LA fans that believes PG is a 100 percent lock but if he signs in 2018 I want all of the people getting the jokes off to come back to this thread as confidently as they came in.

So if ya'll don't get PG should all the Laker fans who have it written in stone come back too?

I feel like if you want to make a statement like that, you should really pick a side. Otherwise its just a cowards "I win either way." to me. I mean, if PG goes to the Lakers, you've already made it pretty clear you wanna call some people out and if he doesn't go to the Lakers you can just pull your "well, I didn't think he was anyway" card. Seems silly.

[Jody Smokz]

Sure but if you read MY POST you'd see Im not one of those fans and I see more non LA fans in this thread getting off jokes than LA fans saying PG to LA is a lock.

Im not one of those LA fans that believes PG is a 100 percent lock but if he signs in 2018 I want all of the people getting the jokes off to come back to this thread as confidently as they came in.

So if ya'll don't get PG should all the Laker fans who have it written in stone come back too?

I feel like if you want to make a statement like that, you should really pick a side. Otherwise its just a cowards "I win either way." to me. I mean, if PG goes to the Lakers, you've already made it pretty clear you wanna call some people out and if he doesn't go to the Lakers you can just pull your "well, I didn't think he was anyway" card. Seems silly.

[ISayshowmee]

Lakers were really confident about signing George. Do they really think they will get both Westbrook/George?

In my opinion they either get both players or neither. I don't see Westbrook/George splitting up.

I am more confident that the Lakers will get Lebron and PG13. Plus these two are great friends.