Paul George is not shutting down the idea of joining the Los Angeles Lakers next season after being traded to the Oklahoma City Thunders. According to the SB Nation, the 27-year-old small forward said he's currently a Thunder and that's where he is focusing at the moment. However, he leaves the door open for next July in case the Lakers is interested in signing him up to the team. "We'll see. I'm a Thunder and my job is to give them the best I have this year and see what happens after that," he said.
The move the led to the trade
Paul George informed that Indiana Pacers that he will not re-sign for the next season, prompting the franchise to trade him.
Just a few weeks after the last NBA season concluded, rumors came online suggesting George's interest in playing for the Lakers. The free agency market was just around the corner and many believed he would be joining the Lakers. Unfortunately, the Pacers traded him to the Thunders, sending Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis to the Pacers. Apparently, George is weighing things between making it big with the Thunder and taking his talents to Los Angeles.
George will join Russell Westbrook in helping the franchise reach another goal of making it to the finals. The Thunder veteran has a current $207 million extension deal that he hasn't signed. Unlike other stars, mainly Stephen Curry who signed a $201 million contract extension, John Wall with $107 million and James Harden with a $228 million contract extension, it looks like Westbrook is not in a hurry to sign his paycheck.
Kevin Durant on the Indiana - Oklahoma trade
Meanwhile, former OKC Thunder player Kevin Durant thinks the Indiana Pacers "just gave away" Paul George. Joining the Bill Simon Podcast, the current NBA champion said: "So that was shocking because Indiana just gave him away." He also believes that the Thunders were not even trying to trade anything for George.
"I didn't think they would do it, but that was a ballsy move," he added.
However, George expressed his gratitude towards Indiana saying he grew up there and he knew the town had his back. But he was also thinking about the welfare of his family and that's why he had to make the move.
Meanwhile, Paul George's situation is similar to Kyrie Irving, except the latter requested for a trade partly because he is not a willing to work again with LeBron James.
Over the weekend, George and Draymond Green were spotted attending the McGregor-Mayweather fight in Nevada.
