NBA Rumors: Paul George Still Likely to Sign With Lakers, League Insiders Say
Paul George may have seen the current Los Angeles Lakers team crumble in their latest match with his current team, but NBA insiders and pundits still believe he will leave the Thunder for his hometown team in his upcoming free agency.
The Thunder and the Lakers met on Wednesday night, and the result was a one-sided defeat for the Los Angeles team at the hands of Westbrook and George. Fans at the Staples Center saw their team fall apart before losing 133–96, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Michel Scotto of Basketball Insiders believes that the pull of the hometown crowd will outweigh any misgivings George might have about the future of the Lakers as his free agency destination. "Right now, I think PG goes to the Lakers," Scotto noted as a guest in the HoopsHype podcast.
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Alex Kennedy, the podcast host, thinks likewise. "I agree. Where there's smoke, there's fire. We've been hearing about that one for a long time," he noted, as Scotto goes on to highlight Gordon Hayward and his eventual move to the Boston Celtics as an example.
When Westbrook was asked if he would say something to George to convince him to stay, the current MVP said "No."
"Sales pitch is gonna be when we win a championship," Westbrook said, as quoted by ESPN. "Beat that pitch," he added.
When this comment was brought up to Paul George, he noted that he's looking for something more than just a chance at a championship to decide his next move. "It's best to stick with what we have and work on building," he noted.
"So, I wouldn't say it's championship or bust, or championship and I'm out. It's all about building," George added, just before they were due to play the Lakers last Jan. 3. He would go on to score 24 points in 27 minutes that game.
