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    10 Paul George statements that didn't age well

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    Paul George is one of the best forwards in the NBA today. But while his skills on the court made him one of the top free agents this year, George is also one of the polarizing figures in the NBA. Nonetheless, George recently made headlines after choosing to join the Philadelphia 76ers, where he teams up with 2023 NBA MVP Joel Embiid.

    Although George’s skills can be trusted on the court, his words say otherwise. Here is a look at 10 Paul George statements that didn’t age well.

    10. Intention to stay in Indiana

    At the end of the 2016-2017 season, Paul George revealed his frustrations in Indiana for repeated playoff exits. Although George was disgruntled, PG revealed in interviews that he was a Pacer. In fact, PG even revealed that he had championship hopes in Indiana. But just nearly a month after the interview, George was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder after requesting a trade.

    9. ‘Unfinished business’ in Oklahoma

    Surprisingly landing in Oklahoma, George got to team up with fellow All-Stars Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony. In their first season together, the Thunder faced a first-round exit at the hands of the Portland Trail Blazers.

    With PG emerging as a free agent, he opted to return to the Thunder by signing a long-term deal due to “unfinished business”, hinting a deeper playoff run. Fast-forward, the Thunder suffered another first-round exit, this time at the hands of the Houston Rockets.

    8. Lakers were ‘too easy’ to defend

    In the 2023-2024 season, George made a claim that LeBron James and the Lakers were “too easy” to defend. Coincidentally, George and the Clippers actually lost their first matchup against the Lakers in that same month, 106-103. The Lakers team shot 52% from the field overall while converting 11 triples in their tight matchup.

    7. Nicknaming himself Playoff P

    While with the Thunder, George infamously gave himself a nickname, “Playoff P,” in front of the media. With the birth of Playoff P, fans expected an elevated level of play.

    However, since joining the Clippers, that hasn’t been the case for the newly acquired Sixers star. George and the Clippers suffered consecutive early playoff exits that have seen the nine-time All-Star struggle big time in big moments.

    6. Ruling the West

    At the trade deadline, there were plenty of trades that shook the Western Conference, highlighted by Kevin Durant’s arrival in Phoenix. Unfazed by the trade, the Clippers’ Paul George claimed that his squad can still rule the West.

    In fact, the Clippers also managed to pick up his former teammate Russell Westbrook. Unfortunately, the Clippers were eliminated in the first round thanks to Durant and the Phoenix Suns.

    5. MVP claims

    Coming off a broken leg and winning the Olympic gold medal, George announced his intentions to win the 2018 NBA MVP award. Although George had an All-Star caliber season, he was nowhere near the front runners of the MVP race with James Harden coming away with the award.

    The closest he came was in the 2018-2019 season, finishing third, with Giannis Antetokounmpo taking MVP honors that year.

    4. Not looking to bounce around

    After arriving in Oklahoma, George continued his All-Star form with the Thunder. At the All-Star Weekend, George revealed to the media that he isn’t planning on playing for different teams in his NBA career.

    Fast-forward to today, George is playing for his fourth NBA team in the form of the Philadelphia 76ers. He previously played for the Indiana Pacers, Oklahoma City Thunder, and the Los Angeles Clippers.

    3. Bringing a championship to the Clippers

    When George was acquired by the Clippers to form a deadly duo with Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers immediately carried championship expectations. In fact, the All-Star forward was determined to break the curse by winning a chip in Los Angeles. Fast-forward to today, the Clippers have had 0 championships won and 0 NBA Finals appearances before George left for Philly.

    2. Retire as a Clipper

    Another statement that didn’t age well for PG was his intention to retire as a Clipper. Although it’s still possible for George to play for the Clippers down the road, the All-Star forward not only took his talents to Philadelphia but is also starting to burn some bridges with the franchise.

    In fact, George confessed that playing for the Clippers was similar to playing for Los Angeles’ “B Team”.

    1. Right style of basketball in free agency

    After the 2023-2024 season, Paul George emerged as a top free agent. The All-Star forward publicly announced that he’s looking for a team not to win a championship in mind, but to join a team that “plays the right way.”

    While that was a bleak opinion, George eventually joined the Sixers to team up with 2023 NBA MVP Joel Embiid. Later on, George admitted about his excitement that the Sixers have a clear shot at a title.

    The post 10 Paul George statements that didn’t age well appeared first on ClutchPoints.

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