Before Paul George signed a four-year max contract with the 76ers, he hoped to be a Golden State Warrior — and Klay Thompson was nearly his running mate.
George opened up on his “Podcast P with Paul George” show detailing the negotiations between representation, the Warriors and perhaps even the Clippers.
“That was a real thing that was close to being done,” George said on his podcast.
“That deal was close to being done from what I was being told on the situation, they was expressing just how much they wanted me there, how I could have fit in perfectly with Draymond [Green], Steph [Curry]. Klay [Thompson] probably would’ve stayed. [Brandin] Podziemski, [Jonathan] Kuminga, [Andrew] Wiggins.”
In order for George to sign with the Warriors, it would’ve needed to involve George opting into his $48.5 million player option with the Clippers, who, in turn, would’ve then traded him to Golden State.
The deal, George said, could’ve included longtime center Kevon Looney, who is in the final year of his contract making $8 million, and likely added Chris Paul.
The Clippers, though, were unwilling to play ball through a tumultuous contract negotiation.
Instead, George signed a four-year $212 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, while Thompson departed for the Dallas Mavericks on a three-year $50 million deal as part of a historic six-team sign and trade.
George explained that his time with the Clippers fell apart beginning with in-season contract negotiations.
He detailed that the initial contract offer was two years and $60 million, which he said was “kind of disrespectful” and “crazy.”
After negotiations stalled through the season, the Clippers finally came up to three years and $150 million at the start of the offseason, the same money that Kawhi Leonard received during his regular season contract extension.
George noted that the breakdown in negotiation came over a no-trade clause that George wanted added to his deal.
When that didn’t happen, George explained he could sign the contract with the 76ers.
George met with Philadelphia executives alongside “Dr. J” Julius Erving, which he called a “great meeting.”
The 76ers also used a recruitment video that included statements from MLB star and Philadelphia native Mike Trout, ex-Giants running back Saquon Barkley, comedian Kevin Hart and artist Lil Dicky.
“They did this cool thing of Philly natives talking about the city and what the Sixers mean to them and what it would mean, me coming there,” George said. “It was a cool video it had a lot of energy behind the city.”
