Paul George has hit out at the Los Angeles Clippers for what he felt was a “crazy, disrespectful” contract offer that ultimately pushed him to the Philadelphia 76ers.
George’s preference was to remain in LA but negotiations over a new deal stalled when it became clear the Clippers were not willing to match the offer they handed to Kawhi Leonard.
Leonard agreed a three-year, $150million extension which George wanted matching, albeit with a no-trade clause attached.
The 34-year-old revealed, however, that the Clippers started talks at a much lower rate.
He told the ‘Podcast P with Paul George’: “I never wanted to leave L.A..
“L.A. is home, this is where I wanted to finish at, and I wanted to work as hard as possible to win one in L.A. That was the goal, to be here and be committed to L.A.
“As it played out though, the first initial deal was I thought kind of disrespectful. In all of this, no hard feelings, no love lost … it’s a business. So the first initial deal was like two years, 60 [million dollars]. So I’m like, whoa, whoa, whoa.
“That’s crazy! I’m like, ‘Naw, I’m not signing that.’”
Why was Philly the best fit for Paul George?
Easy — Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. 😤 pic.twitter.com/5VxxFhIs98
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) July 8, 2024
‘Just give me what Kawhi got’
Leonard signed his deal in January 2024, three months after the initial contract was offered to George.
“I hear wind of what they’re going to give Kawhi so I’m like, ‘Just give me what Kawhi got,'” George added.
“‘You view us the same. We came here together, we want to finish this s— together.’ I’ll take what Kawhi got, no problem, I was cool with that and we were still taking less. Kawhi took less, so if Kawhi takes less, it’s not about me being paid more than him.
“You give him that, give me that. They didn’t want to do that.”
George decided to seek offers elsewhere, and ended up in Philly with a four-year, $212m free-agent deal.
