Steve Ballmer wasn’t too happy about Paul George leaving the team, but the Clippers’ owner explained that he did his best to keep the nine-time All-Star in Los Angeles.
The Clippers’ initial offer in negotiations to retain George was for two years and $60 million in October 2023.
But the 76ers ultimately acquired George in free agency, signing him to a four-year, $212 million contract.
“I love Paul,” Ballmer said. From ESPN“Let’s start with Paul as a person. Paul is a great guy and I’ve really enjoyed getting to know Paul’s family. So, personally, I hated it. I hated it.”
George recently said on “Podcast P with Paul George” that the Clippers’ initial offer was “disrespectful,” but that Ballmer thought it was a “great offer” given that they had to negotiate the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement while maintaining a competitive roster.
“From a basketball standpoint, Paul is a great player and a future Hall of Famer, but we knew we needed to get better,” Ballmer said. “But this was a great offer for us to think about how to win championships, but it wasn’t what Paul wanted.”
The Clippers returned to negotiations with George after the season and offered him a three-year, $150 million deal that included a no-trade clause, which was George’s preferred option.
The Clippers were not willing to match that offer, so George asked for the maximum offer of $212 million over four years, which was also ultimately rejected.
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“He wanted to leave and I respect that,” Ballmer said. “As a basketball player, you only have so many years in your life to make money. I wish he was here and I wish him the best. The great players we added to our team we wouldn’t have had otherwise, so I’m happy for that.”
During the offseason, the Clippers re-signed James Harden and added Derrick Jones Jr., Nicolas Batum, Kevin Porter Jr., Kris Dunn and Mo Bamba.
Kawhi Leonard also signed a three-year, $150 million contract extension in January.
According to ESPN, Ballmer believes a rebuilt team with Leonard and Harden at the helm can be a championship contender next season, just as the Mavericks, with Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving and role players, reached the NBA Finals.
“I think we’ll be a very good team,” he said. “We’ll compete for a championship. We’ll see how far we can go. There’s a lot of good teams in the West, the Celtics in the East and so on. But there’s a lot of good teams out there. I think we’re one of them. If we can stay healthy, if we play well, I think every team can get a little bit of luck.”
George averaged 22.6 points and shot 47.1% from the field with the Clippers in 2023-24.
