Before Paul George After signing with the 76ers in free agency, he first negotiated with the Los Angeles Clippers. And when free agency opened, reports indicated there was trouble in paradise. George addressed the issue on his podcast, Podcast P with Paul George, saying he felt “disrespected” by the Clippers’ offer in the weeks following his arrival. joined the Sixers.
George’s father, Paul George Sr., recently joined the podcast and was asked about his son’s decision to leave the Clippers. From his perspective as a parent, he believes his son bent over backwards for the Clippers.
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“I felt like they stabbed us in the back because I thought Paul had done a lot for the team,” George Sr. said. “The fans were there, he was there, I think he gave them 110 percent. And what he asked for wasn’t much. Now they saw something different. But I didn’t want him to take anything. His thing is he stands up for what he believes in, and he felt like it was a bunch of bullshit they were telling him, and I wasn’t going to sugarcoat it either.”
“Of course it put us in a difficult situation, but it’s all good. We like being home, but sometimes home can slow us down. He worked hard for it, and I thought he should have been paid for it. We didn’t hesitate to do it. We didn’t have any problems.” [say]“Well, I’m thinking about it. [It was more]”Why are they coming to you like that? You have to go.” I thought we’d go next door then [to the Lakers]. But they have already spent too much money.
George averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals in his final season with the Clippers. He was a career-high 41.3 percent from three-point range and 47.1 percent from the field, both career highs.
But health issues have marred his partnership in Los Angeles with Kawhi Leonard. While George played 74 games last season, he hasn’t appeared in more than 56 games in the other four seasons. And Leonard has also missed time regularly due to numerous injuries.
That chapter is now behind George, and he’ll be making a fresh start with the Sixers. Both George and his father seem excited about the prospect. George Sr., a huge Julius Erving fan, detailed his experience as a The Sixers supported his son throughout the court process.
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“When I see Dr. [Julius Erving]I look at him and I’m like, “Man, I thought you’d be taller.” I think I was taller than him. And I’m like, “Damn, why can’t I jump like you?” Of course, it was like meeting Superman or something. He was my idol at the time; Dr. J, he was the man. No matter how you look at it, in basketball, he was the man. And back then, everybody had afros, so when you stepped on the court, everybody was Dr. J.
“So when I saw him in person, I was like, ‘Man, you don’t know. You were my guy.’ And he came over and contacted my son, and he started talking about how before he got his championship, he was missing this piece. And then he got it, that’s when they won. And he said to Paul, ‘This is our missing piece right here.’ So I was like, ‘Wow, this is from Dr. J.’”