All-Star forward Paul George followed up his recent comments about finishing his career with LA Clippers with actions on Thursday.

The Clippers announced that George inked a four-year extension that keeps him under contract through 2023-24. The deal also contains a player option for the 2024-25 season.

According to reports, the extension is worth $190 million, which puts George on track to earn $226 million in the next five years.

“I am proud to call this my home and look forward to doing my part in helping make the team a tremendous success—both on and off the court—in the years ahead,” said George after the deal became official.

Securing Paul George’s services was crucial for the Los Angeles Clippers, considering that he could have hit free agency next year. This would’ve been a nightmare scenario for the organization, after they gave up a massive package last year to bring him from the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The trade saw the Clippers giving up perspective guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and veteran Danilo Gallinari while also sending five first-round draft picks and two pick-swap rights to OKC.

In his first year with Clippers, George struggled to perform on his All-NBA level from 2018-19. He averaged just 21.5 points per game, his lowest in an injury-free season since 2013, while also underperforming in the playoffs where Clippers blew 3-1 lead in the Western Conference semis against the Denver Nuggets.

The Clippers are now banking that George will return to All-Star level under new head coach Ty Lue, and that they can resurrect their NBA title hopes this season. The organization is probably also hoping that George’s commitment will prompt teammate Kawhi Leonard to do the same.

The post Paul George Signs a 4-Year, $190 Million Extension with Clippers appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Los Angeles Clippers’ 107-103 overtime win against Boston Celtics on Wednesday night saw All-Stars Paul George and Kawhi Leonard sharing the floor for the first time as teammates. But, as it turns out, George and Leonard could have played together a long time before joining Clippers this summer.

In a recent Ohm Youngmisuk’s recent cover story for ESPN, George revealed that he wanted Indiana Pacers to deal him to San Antonio Spurs in 2017 so he could team up with Leonard.

George informed Pacers in the summer of 2017 that he didn’t intend to resign with the franchise following the expiration of his contract next summer. It was widely presumed that he wanted to join Los Angeles Lakers as his top destination, but according to him Spurs were also high on the list.

“I wanted to be traded to San Antonio,” – said George. “We wanted to go to San Antonio first, and we didn’t make that happen.”

The league sources say that Spurs, in fact, did engage in talks with Pacers, but they lacked assets to make a compelling offer for an All-Star player. Indiana ended up trading George to Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Domantas Sabonis and Victor Oladipo.

In their first game as Clippers, Paul George and Kawhi Leonard managed to put on a solid performance. George poured in 25 points to go with 5 assists and 8 rebounds while Leonard added 17 points, six rebounds, three assists, and three steals.

The post Paul George Wanted to Team up With Kawhi Leonard in San Antonio in 2017 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Paul George made one of the most surprising decisions in this summer’s free agency when he opted to stay with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He even refused to meet with other NBA teams including the Los Angeles Lakers, his hometown team and presumed favorite to sign him.

Now, speaking on the Short Story Long podcast, the 28-year-old All-Star decided to explain the reasons for refusing a meeting with the Lakers.

“L.A. was pissed at me” – said George. “I didn’t give Magic [Johnson] a meeting, which I understand. But at that point, I knew I wanted to give it another shot [in Oklahoma City]. I didn’t want to prolong it and waste people’s time.“

According to Paul George, he saw more positives than negatives in his single season with Thunder and decided it was worth sticking around.

“Coming down to free agency, I didn’t want to waste any time,” – he added. “I wanted to give it another shot. I gave them one year. We played well against the best teams. I wanted to give it a real shot.“

In the summer of 2017, Paul George informed his Indiana Pacers that he won’t resign with the team and that he prefers a move to the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite his desire, Thunder decided to take a gamble and send Victor Oladipo and Domantis Sabonis to Pacers in exchange for George.

OKC showed flashes of being a great team in the last season, but the team didn’t end the year on a high note, losing to the Utah Jazz in six games in the first round of the NBA playoffs. After this, many people thought that Thunder’s chances to re-sign Paul George went from slim to none after this, but he managed to surprise them all.

In the past season, George averaged 21.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists per game.

The post Paul George on Not Meeting with Lakers: “I Didn’t Want to Prolong It” appeared first on SportzBonanza.

In one of the most surprising moves this NBA offseason, Paul George decided to turn down the opportunity to play in his hometown of Los Angeles. Instead, the 28-year-old All-Star agreed to prolong his stay with the Oklahoma City Thunder, signing a four-year deal with the team.

Now, while attending USA Basketball’s minicamp, PG13 decided to explain his decision to stay with the OKC. George said that although he wanted to get back home, he loved the situation in Oklahoma and decided to “around a little longer.”

“It was absolutely tempting,” – said George about the opportunity to join LA Lakers. “Honestly, I wanted to come back home. But again, I got traded to Oklahoma. Loved the situation. Loved where I was at. I decided to stick around a little longer.“

“I just wanted my free agency to be over with. In my heart, I felt great about Oklahoma and I wasn’t going to prolong it if I felt good about it already.” – he added.

Before entering the final year of his contract with the Indiana Pacers, Paul George decided to tell the organization that he doesn’t intend to sign the extension and would prefer to be traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. Still, Lakers opted against trading for George, thinking they will get him for free in the summer of 2018. Knowing this, Thunder decided to make a gamble and trade for him regardless. The risk ended up paying off, and George remained in Oklahoma without even giving Lakers a meeting with him.

Although Paul George put up significant numbers in the past season – 21.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists per game – Oklahoma City Thunder underachieved and ended up being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. George is well aware of this and intends to make a better impression in the next season.

“I felt when it came down to it and all the factors that played into it, deep down there was a nasty taste where we finished,” – he said. “I just felt I had more to offer. I had more to give. I just felt about where we were as a whole.”

The post Paul George Explains His Decision to Stay in OKC appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Paul George will snub the bright lights of his hometown Los Angeles and try to build on his partnership with Russell Westbrook. It was revealed by multiple sources, including Yahoo Sports and ESPN, that George has agreed to sign a four-year, $137 million deal which will keep him with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Paul George has committed to sign a deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder, league sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2018

On Saturday night, Thunder organized a huge party and brought Paul George in, hoping to get a long-term commitment from him. They did so, with George taking the mic at one point and saying: “If y’all didn’t quite get it, let me say it again. I’m here to stay.”

You heard it here first. pic.twitter.com/jN6gBn6j1Z

— Gabe Ikard (@GabeIkard) July 1, 2018

This was rather a surprising decision for the majority of the NBA. Little over a year ago, Paul George informed Indiana Pacers that he intends to leave the organization in 2018 and sign with the Los Angeles Lakers. Knowing his wish to sign with the Lakers, teams were reluctant to give up many assets to acquire him, thinking he would be a one-year rental. Thunder, however, decided to take a gamble and sent Victor Oladipo and Domantis Sabonis to Indiana in return for George.

Unfortunately for OKC, their pitch to Paul George took a hit, since the team struggled throughout the season and were eliminated in the first round of playoffs by Utah Jazz. Still, George spoke positively about the organization the whole year, and in the recent weeks, there was a growing sense he might stay in Oklahoma, which ended up happening. Sources close to the situation said that friendship he developed with Russell Westbrook in the past year was a big factor for George in making his decision.

Surprisingly, Los Angeles Lakers didn’t even manage to get a meeting with the player. Still, it is hard to imagine they will be sad for too long since they have managed to sign LeBron James a day later.

The post Paul George to Stay with OKC, Signs 4-Year/$137 Million Deal appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Oklahoma City Thunder’s forward Paul George is one of the biggest NBA stars to enter the free agency this offseason. Now, even before Thunder’s general manager Sam Presti managed to get him in Oklahoma City, it looked like George’s destination for the 2018-19 season is all set. His hometown of Los Angeles.

This became even more apparent when the Thunder performed below expectations in the past season and was eliminated in the first round of playoffs by Utah Jazz team whose biggest star was a rookie.

But, wait a second. Thunder fans, don’t burn your PG13 jerseys just yet. It looks like Paul George might end up staying in Oklahoma City after all. According to The New York Times, there is a “growing belief around the league” that George might be playing in the same jersey next season as well.

“There is a growing belief around the league that Oklahoma City has a far better chance to retain the free-agent-to-be Paul George than many believed when the Thunder crashed out of the first round of the playoffs.” – wrote Stein in his New York Times newsletter on Tuesday.

This might not be a so farfetched, considering the fact that Oklahoma City Thunder can offer Paul George the most money. Thunder holds his Bird rights and can offer him five-year, $175.7 million contract while other teams can offer him four-year, $130.3 million deal. Besides this, it looks like George developed a good relationship with Thunder’s biggest star Russell Westbrook and also enjoys life in Oklahoma City.

With Thunder, Paul George would certainly have a better chance to compete for a championship than if he decides to go home and play for the Los Angeles Lakers. His decision might also depend on the move that LeBron James makes. With James and George, Lakers would immediately be an NBA championship contender. But if James decides to go elsewhere, George would be a lot further from the title than he is now.

Besides Thunder and the Los Angeles Lakers, other team’s that are in the mix to land Paul George are Philadelphia 76ers and Houston Rockets.

The post “Growing Belief around the League” that Paul George Will Stay with Oklahoma City Thunder appeared first on SportzBonanza.

All-Star forward Paul George followed up his recent comments about finishing his career with LA Clippers with actions on Thursday.

The Clippers announced that George inked a four-year extension that keeps him under contract through 2023-24. The deal also contains a player option for the 2024-25 season.

According to reports, the extension is worth $190 million, which puts George on track to earn $226 million in the next five years.

“I am proud to call this my home and look forward to doing my part in helping make the team a tremendous success—both on and off the court—in the years ahead,” said George after the deal became official.

Securing Paul George’s services was crucial for the Los Angeles Clippers, considering that he could have hit free agency next year. This would’ve been a nightmare scenario for the organization, after they gave up a massive package last year to bring him from the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The trade saw the Clippers giving up perspective guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and veteran Danilo Gallinari while also sending five first-round draft picks and two pick-swap rights to OKC.

In his first year with Clippers, George struggled to perform on his All-NBA level from 2018-19. He averaged just 21.5 points per game, his lowest in an injury-free season since 2013, while also underperforming in the playoffs where Clippers blew 3-1 lead in the Western Conference semis against the Denver Nuggets.

The Clippers are now banking that George will return to All-Star level under new head coach Ty Lue, and that they can resurrect their NBA title hopes this season. The organization is probably also hoping that George’s commitment will prompt teammate Kawhi Leonard to do the same.

The post Paul George Signs a 4-Year, $190 Million Extension with Clippers appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Los Angeles Clippers’ 107-103 overtime win against Boston Celtics on Wednesday night saw All-Stars Paul George and Kawhi Leonard sharing the floor for the first time as teammates. But, as it turns out, George and Leonard could have played together a long time before joining Clippers this summer.

In a recent Ohm Youngmisuk’s recent cover story for ESPN, George revealed that he wanted Indiana Pacers to deal him to San Antonio Spurs in 2017 so he could team up with Leonard.

George informed Pacers in the summer of 2017 that he didn’t intend to resign with the franchise following the expiration of his contract next summer. It was widely presumed that he wanted to join Los Angeles Lakers as his top destination, but according to him Spurs were also high on the list.

“I wanted to be traded to San Antonio,” – said George. “We wanted to go to San Antonio first, and we didn’t make that happen.”

The league sources say that Spurs, in fact, did engage in talks with Pacers, but they lacked assets to make a compelling offer for an All-Star player. Indiana ended up trading George to Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Domantas Sabonis and Victor Oladipo.

In their first game as Clippers, Paul George and Kawhi Leonard managed to put on a solid performance. George poured in 25 points to go with 5 assists and 8 rebounds while Leonard added 17 points, six rebounds, three assists, and three steals.

The post Paul George Wanted to Team up With Kawhi Leonard in San Antonio in 2017 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Paul George made one of the most surprising decisions in this summer’s free agency when he opted to stay with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He even refused to meet with other NBA teams including the Los Angeles Lakers, his hometown team and presumed favorite to sign him.

Now, speaking on the Short Story Long podcast, the 28-year-old All-Star decided to explain the reasons for refusing a meeting with the Lakers.

“L.A. was pissed at me” – said George. “I didn’t give Magic [Johnson] a meeting, which I understand. But at that point, I knew I wanted to give it another shot [in Oklahoma City]. I didn’t want to prolong it and waste people’s time.“

According to Paul George, he saw more positives than negatives in his single season with Thunder and decided it was worth sticking around.

“Coming down to free agency, I didn’t want to waste any time,” – he added. “I wanted to give it another shot. I gave them one year. We played well against the best teams. I wanted to give it a real shot.“

In the summer of 2017, Paul George informed his Indiana Pacers that he won’t resign with the team and that he prefers a move to the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite his desire, Thunder decided to take a gamble and send Victor Oladipo and Domantis Sabonis to Pacers in exchange for George.

OKC showed flashes of being a great team in the last season, but the team didn’t end the year on a high note, losing to the Utah Jazz in six games in the first round of the NBA playoffs. After this, many people thought that Thunder’s chances to re-sign Paul George went from slim to none after this, but he managed to surprise them all.

In the past season, George averaged 21.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists per game.

The post Paul George on Not Meeting with Lakers: “I Didn’t Want to Prolong It” appeared first on SportzBonanza.

In one of the most surprising moves this NBA offseason, Paul George decided to turn down the opportunity to play in his hometown of Los Angeles. Instead, the 28-year-old All-Star agreed to prolong his stay with the Oklahoma City Thunder, signing a four-year deal with the team.

Now, while attending USA Basketball’s minicamp, PG13 decided to explain his decision to stay with the OKC. George said that although he wanted to get back home, he loved the situation in Oklahoma and decided to “around a little longer.”

“It was absolutely tempting,” – said George about the opportunity to join LA Lakers. “Honestly, I wanted to come back home. But again, I got traded to Oklahoma. Loved the situation. Loved where I was at. I decided to stick around a little longer.“

“I just wanted my free agency to be over with. In my heart, I felt great about Oklahoma and I wasn’t going to prolong it if I felt good about it already.” – he added.

Before entering the final year of his contract with the Indiana Pacers, Paul George decided to tell the organization that he doesn’t intend to sign the extension and would prefer to be traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. Still, Lakers opted against trading for George, thinking they will get him for free in the summer of 2018. Knowing this, Thunder decided to make a gamble and trade for him regardless. The risk ended up paying off, and George remained in Oklahoma without even giving Lakers a meeting with him.

Although Paul George put up significant numbers in the past season – 21.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists per game – Oklahoma City Thunder underachieved and ended up being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. George is well aware of this and intends to make a better impression in the next season.

“I felt when it came down to it and all the factors that played into it, deep down there was a nasty taste where we finished,” – he said. “I just felt I had more to offer. I had more to give. I just felt about where we were as a whole.”

The post Paul George Explains His Decision to Stay in OKC appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Paul George will snub the bright lights of his hometown Los Angeles and try to build on his partnership with Russell Westbrook. It was revealed by multiple sources, including Yahoo Sports and ESPN, that George has agreed to sign a four-year, $137 million deal which will keep him with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Paul George has committed to sign a deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder, league sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2018

On Saturday night, Thunder organized a huge party and brought Paul George in, hoping to get a long-term commitment from him. They did so, with George taking the mic at one point and saying: “If y’all didn’t quite get it, let me say it again. I’m here to stay.”

You heard it here first. pic.twitter.com/jN6gBn6j1Z

— Gabe Ikard (@GabeIkard) July 1, 2018

This was rather a surprising decision for the majority of the NBA. Little over a year ago, Paul George informed Indiana Pacers that he intends to leave the organization in 2018 and sign with the Los Angeles Lakers. Knowing his wish to sign with the Lakers, teams were reluctant to give up many assets to acquire him, thinking he would be a one-year rental. Thunder, however, decided to take a gamble and sent Victor Oladipo and Domantis Sabonis to Indiana in return for George.

Unfortunately for OKC, their pitch to Paul George took a hit, since the team struggled throughout the season and were eliminated in the first round of playoffs by Utah Jazz. Still, George spoke positively about the organization the whole year, and in the recent weeks, there was a growing sense he might stay in Oklahoma, which ended up happening. Sources close to the situation said that friendship he developed with Russell Westbrook in the past year was a big factor for George in making his decision.

Surprisingly, Los Angeles Lakers didn’t even manage to get a meeting with the player. Still, it is hard to imagine they will be sad for too long since they have managed to sign LeBron James a day later.

The post Paul George to Stay with OKC, Signs 4-Year/$137 Million Deal appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Oklahoma City Thunder’s forward Paul George is one of the biggest NBA stars to enter the free agency this offseason. Now, even before Thunder’s general manager Sam Presti managed to get him in Oklahoma City, it looked like George’s destination for the 2018-19 season is all set. His hometown of Los Angeles.

This became even more apparent when the Thunder performed below expectations in the past season and was eliminated in the first round of playoffs by Utah Jazz team whose biggest star was a rookie.

But, wait a second. Thunder fans, don’t burn your PG13 jerseys just yet. It looks like Paul George might end up staying in Oklahoma City after all. According to The New York Times, there is a “growing belief around the league” that George might be playing in the same jersey next season as well.

“There is a growing belief around the league that Oklahoma City has a far better chance to retain the free-agent-to-be Paul George than many believed when the Thunder crashed out of the first round of the playoffs.” – wrote Stein in his New York Times newsletter on Tuesday.

This might not be a so farfetched, considering the fact that Oklahoma City Thunder can offer Paul George the most money. Thunder holds his Bird rights and can offer him five-year, $175.7 million contract while other teams can offer him four-year, $130.3 million deal. Besides this, it looks like George developed a good relationship with Thunder’s biggest star Russell Westbrook and also enjoys life in Oklahoma City.

With Thunder, Paul George would certainly have a better chance to compete for a championship than if he decides to go home and play for the Los Angeles Lakers. His decision might also depend on the move that LeBron James makes. With James and George, Lakers would immediately be an NBA championship contender. But if James decides to go elsewhere, George would be a lot further from the title than he is now.

Besides Thunder and the Los Angeles Lakers, other team’s that are in the mix to land Paul George are Philadelphia 76ers and Houston Rockets.

The post “Growing Belief around the League” that Paul George Will Stay with Oklahoma City Thunder appeared first on SportzBonanza.