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No matter how you feel about Paul George as a basketball player, I think most of us can agree he has one of the smoothest games in the NBA. When the eight-time All-Star has it rolling, there aren’t many players more fun to watch.
Unfortunately, since his trade from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Los Angeles Clippers, we haven’t been able to watch him much.
After playing in at least 75 games in six of seven seasons before joining LA, George hasn’t eclipsed 56 games once in the last four years. Because of injuries, George has played in just 189 of a possible 308 regular-season games since the 2019-20 season.
Those numbers are why it had to be refreshing for fans to hear what he had to say this week on a Twitch live stream: “Mark my words, I’m on my bully [expletive] next season.”
In other words, George plans to show out in 2023-24, and we know exactly what it looks like when he does.
In his last fully healthy season, 2018-19 with the Thunder, he averaged a career-high 28 points and 8 rebounds while also playing incredible defense to finish third in MVP voting. Even in his time with the Clippers, he’s averaged 23 points on good shooting splits. The problem is he and Kawhi Leonard — who joined the Clippers at the same time and has played in just 161 games — haven’t been able to play nearly enough. As a result, the Clippers haven’t consistently competed at the level most expected when the two arrived.
Now, each enters a critical season, as their contracts are set to expire. The both have player options for 2024 and are extension eligible, but it’s a tough decision for the Clippers to again invest max money in two players who haven’t been available. The only way it makes sense is if George is, in fact, on his bully and Leonard can come back to help LA make a deep playoff run. If not, this could be the last year we see the Clippers run it back with this duo.
The Tip-Off
Some NBA goodness from around the USA TODAY Sports network.
Team USA rolled over Puerto Rico Monday in the last day of World Cup training camp and the first tune-up game.
Anthony Edwards led the way with 15 points in the 43-point rout, though it was a complete team effort — Bobby Portis even got chants from the Las Vegas crowd. Every player scored, displaying the exact chemistry Austin Reaves told HoopsHype he saw improving with each day of camp.
Yeah, for sure. I mean the last couple days we might have possessions where we overpass. The guys we have on our team, we feel really good about how they play. If the roles were flipped we just swing-swing to the corner, you make that pass because the next time, if you’re fortunate, it could be a pass to you.
So it’s a good feeling knowing that we’re ready to catch and shoot whenever, and with the talent that we have with that we could do really good things.
Reaves, who scored nine points himself, also discussed his expectations for the Lakers this coming season in the full interview with Sam Yip.
Shootaround
— Tyrere Haliburton used Jalen Brunson’s wallet for a vending machine spending spree
— NBA 2K24 ratings are out for the top 10 players, led by Nikola Jokic
— Scoot Henderson made a defiant but fair promise to win Rookie of the Year
— Steph Curry joined Paramore on stage and sang his heart out
