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Ohm Youngmisuk, ESPN Staff Writer
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — In his first game against the LA Clippers at Intuit Dome, Paul George received a video tribute but also heard plenty of boos all night from The Wall at the new arena.
Before an announced crowd of 15,627, George made 7 of 9 shots and had 18 points, 7 rebounds and 3 steals, but his old team routed the Philadelphia 76ers 110-98.
George said he appreciated the video tribute and called the Clippers franchise “first class.” He said his return drew a fair and split reaction, but he did not understand or care for the boos after helping the Clippers reach their only Western Conference finals appearance in 2021.
“It is stupid,” George said when asked if he was surprised to hear jeers after playing five seasons in L.A. “I mean, I was a free agent, you know what I mean? It wasn’t something that I demanded a trade or went against the team here. I was a free agent. The team presented something that was team friendly, and I did what was best for me in that situation.
“So there were the cheers. I appreciate them. Those were the ones that I played hard for. The boos, I didn’t get it. I still don’t get it when I go [back] to Indy, but it is what it is. It’s sports. I look forward to next year being back here and more boos.”
After five seasons of playing for the Clippers, George signed a four-year, $212 million max contract as a free agent with the Philadelphia 76ers in the summer. George said he wanted to remain a Clipper. But he wanted a no-trade clause to go with a three-year, $150 million extension or a four-year max deal, and the Clippers declined to do either.
After George left, some of the Clippers’ fan base was irked by comments he made on his podcast, “Podcast P with Paul George,” when he described returning to his hometown of Los Angeles to join the Clippers like being on the “B team” because so many Lakers fans would tell him that he should’ve joined the Lakers.
Some fans in The Wall, a section where the most ardent Clippers fans stand in uninterrupted rows behind the basket near the opponent’s bench, brought signs with them referencing George’s podcast. Multiple fans held up signs that combined to read, “PG THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK.”
George, playing in his just his second game after suffering a bone bruise in his left knee late in the preseason, said he didn’t see many of the signs.
“Oh, well, I’m sure they’re all probably subscribers,” George said, referring to his podcast. “So it’s a win-win. It’s two wins against The Wall, I guess.”
During the first half when the Sixers had to shoot at the basket by The Wall, George made both of his free throw attempts. In the season-opening overtime loss to the Phoenix Suns, Clippers fans at The Wall successfully distracted Kevin Durant enough that he missed a pair of free throws.
George said on Wednesday morning that he did not hold a grudge against the Clippers organization for not re-signing him. He cited his “awesome” relationship with team owner Steve Ballmer and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank.
“I think it got kind of misconstrued or [the] narrative kind of wasn’t written correctly with the relationship with Lawrence [Frank], the relationship with Steve Ballmer,” George said before the Sixers had their morning shootaround at UCLA. “I mean, they were awesome the whole time I was here.
“Kind of the reason why it was such a shocking decision how it played out at the end. But they were awesome. My time here, I think that was kind of refreshing to be alongside and have a partnership like that with a front office. And so I think that was probably the highlight of the whole [time with the Clippers]. Just how great they were in my tenure here.”
Frank told ESPN that he was willing to give the Kawhi Leonard-George tandem another three years by extending George to the same three-year, $150 million deal he gave to Leonard in January. But the team would not give a no-trade clause to George with that deal nor give a four-year max deal, citing roster flexibility, age and the new collective bargaining agreement’s second apron, which penalizes luxury-tax-paying teams like the Clippers.
Outside of the boos, George said he felt plenty of love from old friends on his former team and many family and friends in the building. He spent time with former teammates, such as James Harden, before the game and did not leave the court for a good 15 minutes afterward as he caught up with more former teammates, such as Ivica Zubac, and hugged his parents, Clippers employees and friends who were courtside.
“Ain’t no bad blood,” George said when asked about grudges when a star leaves a franchise. “I talked to those guys throughout the whole process. James was informed with what I was doing. Kawhi was informed with what I was doing. Russ [Westbrook] was informed with what I was doing. I talked to all those guys, so there was no bad blood.
“At the end of the day, regardless if we’re teammates or not, those are lifelong bonds that you build and whatever happens in basketball kind of doesn’t affect that relationship.”
George said he thought Intuit Dome was as spectacular as advertised but was missing just one thing — more Clippers fans.
“It was great,” he said of the Clippers’ new home. “I wish it would’ve been a little bit more packed out. I didn’t think it was quite packed for this to be Clippers’ very own.
“But the facility, this thing is amazing. What Ballmer did and his vision and how it came to life — it’s the best arena to play in.”