INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Paul George spoke earlier in the day about how he held no grudge against the Clippers fans or organization, that it was a great five seasons, that he had relationships like family here, and while his time in Los Angeles ended a little awkwardly — over money and a no-trade clause — he held no ill will.
Clippers fans felt differently.
Fans booed George during introductions and every time he touched the ball in his return to Los Angeles. There were even some “P-G-sucks” chants.
The first time Paul George went to the free throw line, the Clippers “Wall” turned its back. Second time, the old school hold up a newspaper bit. pic.twitter.com/fsMeLFvlpu
— Kurt Helin (@basketballtalk) November 7, 2024
It was not the loudest, most lustful boos ever heard in an NBA arena, but “The Wall” fans were creative and loud, and George heard them — even if he thought they missed the point.
“It’s stupid... I was a free agent,” George said. “It wasn’t something that I demanded to trade, or went against the team here. I was a free agent. The team presented something that was team friendly, and I did what was best for me in that situation.”
The boos also had no impact on George, who came out hot and drained a couple of early 3-pointers on his way to finishing the game with 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting, plus he grabbed seven rebounds. It looked like George had shaken off the rust, although he didn’t feel that way (and ultimately the Clippers pulled away for the 110-98 win).
“I’m still, I feel like, trying to get my body back and just rhythm,” George said. “I think my execution is just off, my rhythm, my timing, my ball handling, it’s just off.”
The Clippers had a nice tribute video during the first time out in the first quarter, and fans politely applauded before and after, although some boos were scattered in there. George made a gesture toward the wall after that, brushing them off. That “Wall” was something George never had cheering for him, this was his first game in the Clippers’ new Intuit Dome.
George and James Harden hugged and talked pregame, and George said he is still on good terms with Harden, as well as Kawhi Leonard and Russell Westbrook (the latter of whom also left the Clippers this summer.
“Ain’t no bad blood,” George said of his former teammates. “I talked to those guys throughout the whole process. James was informed with what I was doing. Kawhi was informed with what I was doing. Russ was informed with what I was doing. I talked to all those guys... Regardless if we’re teammates or not, those are lifelong bonds that you that you build. And, you know, basketball, whatever happens in basketball, kind of doesn’t affect that relationship.”
George left the Clippers only because of some awkward negotiations. Kawhi Leonard signed a discounted three-year, $149.5 million contract to stay with the Clippers in the middle of last season, George said later he would have stayed for the same deal — as long as it also included a no-trade clause (if he was going to take less to stay, he said he wanted to be sure he stayed). George’s side of the story is that the Clippers lowballed him for much of the time, then got to Leonard-level money at the end, but would not give him the no-trade clause. So he signed with Philly for four years, $211.6 million.
Some Clippers fans are not ready to forgive him for that.
