As the Oklahoma City Thunder prepare to visit the Los Angeles Lakers, the media caught up with Paul George to ask him about the preseason trade talks.
Rumors about Paul George playing for the Los Angeles Lakers have become hard to ignore. More fuel has been added to the fire this week
Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer Fred Katz posted a post-practice presser snippet with the teams star small forward Paul George.
George was asked about his pre-season comments regarding what team he would be open to being traded too or wanted to play for before the upcoming road trip to Los Angeles.
George’s answers were pleasing for Lakers fans who last heard their team was levied an unprecedented $500,000 tampering fine when the Lakers front office was pursuing a trade for the Palmdale native.
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George reiterated what he said and felt before the trade to the Thunder. “I would love to go back home and play for my city, so no regrets at all, no regrets at all,” George explained.
If you forgot all about the fine, to refresh your memory, “The NBA prohibits teams from publicly expressing interest in a player already under contract as well as sharing their sentiments with that player and/or his representatives,” according to former OC Register sports writer Mark Medina.
Magic Johnson took full responsibility for whatever was perceived as the infraction, his “wink wink” on Jimmy Kimmel Live (April 20, 2017) was thought to be the catalyst for the discipline.
Rob Pelinka apologized to Lakers fans, ” On behalf of the Los Angeles Lakers, I want to express our regret over this unfortunate incident to both our fans and the NBA.”
In the end, the Indiana Pacers punished the Lakers some more after the Lakers had made cap room for George by trading center Timofey Mozgov to the Nets. They sent George to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Paul George on if he regrets naming the Lakers as a desired destination before the Pacers dealt him: “It wasn’t gunpoint to the head. Send me here. I just stated somewhere I wanted to go play...No regrets at all. I thought this trade that went down was a win-win.” pic.twitter.com/U8jqUBhPRa
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) January 2, 2018
Before you get your hopes up, George does not regret playing for the Thunder as well, saying, “This trade that went down was a win-win for both sides, and I’m happy for both to move on,” said the four-time All-Star.
George feels this story is what it is and he cares less about the attention it draws. He is excited to play in front of his family and friends, and he is eager to play with the team that he has.
Paul George on Lakers rumors, thinking the Pacers would always stay together and more: pic.twitter.com/UBMaoZDsNV
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) January 2, 2018
George will be happy and grateful playing on his current team, and that starts with play with Carmelo Anthony and Russell Westbrook. He looks at the big picture.
Paul George is the ultimate professional. He seems happy where he is playing with Carmelo and Westbrook, he is focused on winning with this team, and he still would love to play someday for a team in Los Angeles.
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He once thought that he would be with the Pacers forever, now it seems as a free agent, he will be able to choose between the Thunder and the Lakers. The Lakers may just have to wait, and if that’s the case, I think I will grab my kleenex right now.