Paul George Dumps the Clippers for the Sixers | The Bill Simmons Podcast

Paul George Dumps the Clippers for the Sixers | The Bill Simmons Podcast

I want to start with Paul George I was thinking about how last decade we really mastered this NBA free agency thing where like every year it was like uh Lebron and 14 and then it was like LaMarcus Aldridge and 15 and Durant Horford and 16 and Blake Griffin and Hayward and Milsap and 17 LeBron and Chris Paul and Paul George and 18 and then 19 kawhai KD Kyrie Horford Butler Kemba d’el Russell it was just the smartest and then somehow this decade the big prize in 20 was Hayward the big prize in 21 was D rozan the big prize in 22 was Beal LaVine and Jaylen Brunson who actually turned out to be a real prize but we didn’t realize it last year was Kyrie and Fred Van v and Dylan Brooks and this year it’s Paul George who’s been in our lives a long time really good player I voted for him for third Team all NBA I had Clippers sees and tickets the last five years at no point during those five years did I tell my kids let’s drive down to Staples Paul George is playing but he’s a really good player he became the prize of free agency is this a Clipper story or a sixer story for you I think it’s a sixer story and first of all I felt like you were downplaying Paul George who was several players current goat so don’t talk bad about the third goat Paul George true yeah several guys said Paul George is their goat Brandon Miller said Paul George is the goat and then we thought it was kind of joking but there’s several players like no Paul George is the goat there’s a certain window when you were coming up that Paul George was just cooking I assume with the Pacers and people think he’s the goat unironically so Paul George is the goat in some people’s eyes I assume this is a sixer story and I don’t think he could go anywhere else that makes me happy well because Orlando to Orlando took themselves out the table with canabus calwell Pope which made Cudi happy as hell but now they don’t that’s well that’s another story for my nuggets that I’m kind of upset we’re getting themer tough I assume Paul George is going to Philadelphia he’s been on this lowkey ring Chase since he left Indiana where I always thought another story it’s like oh do you think if he if he goes ringless let’s say just fast forward Paul George’s career if he goes ring do you think that he looks back and says you know what I could have been like Reggie Miller I could have been the next guy in Pacers history and just been a one te guy and just been a legend and got a statue right now Paul George is just roaming stateless and ringless it’s a bad combo to be statul list and ringless and oddly also the goat and also representative of kind of what his generation is where guys bounce around now and they don’t stay with the team so in a weird way he makes sense for where we’ve been I see you’re mentioning all this Paul George big picture stuff and you hit on something that I don’t think he takes enough enough poo poo for whereas Kevin Durant takes all the poo poo but Paul George has been pretty like bouncy roundish right going back to Indiana that last year ends up in OKC then it’s like oh no he really wants to play for the Lakers then all a sudden he’s resigning with OKC then a year later it’s like would you like would would you be cool if we traded the Clippers he’s like I’d love it that would be great and now he’s not staying with the Clippers when I thought the whole time he just wanted to be in LA because he’s from here and um now he’s going to Philly I guess to chase a ring and there’s like some weird lack of respect piece too because they didn’t give him one extra year he’s 34 oh I didn’t I didn’t read the lack of respect thing oh yeah that’s a big piece of this oh I didn’t I thought four years give him four years he’s Paul George you’re giving Kawai years you g hard in two years well the Clippers put out this big statement today about why they couldn’t come to terms with him they put it out like 20 minutes before we started taping it was this bizarre little I don’t know who wrote it it felt like Balmer wrote it and then like a PA kind of spruced it up but it was basically like with this new apron and everybody’s just going to blame the new apron and we’ll talk about Denver and some of these other teams oh the apron so afraid of the apron can I ask you a question about the apron H how much do I have to care about the apron can I just watch basketball and enjoy free agency or do I have to dig in and be a be a pro bono lawyer and learn about the second apron and the first apron it’s just it’s almost where I I I take a right turn off the uh basketball fandom you just don’t want to be second apron second apron locks down some decisions in the wrong ways and I think if you’re going second apron you got to feel awesome about your team which to me second apron we have we have to win a championship we’re going second a A or second apron you’re like you’re the Celtics and you’re like second apron we went 80 and 21 last year and if we bring back these six guys with some role players we’re probably going to keep contending for the title let’s pay the second apron if you’re the Clippers you you’ve had this Paul George run where he was there for five years 2020 bubble round two lost to Denver and seven 21 made it all the way to round three KAG uh KAG gets hurt but they lose to Phoenix 2022 no playoffs 2023 Paul George was hurt round one lost to Phoenix 2024 kawh was hurt round one lost to Dallas so they won three playoff series in five years and were fun intermittently for little tiny stretches but for the most part I don’t think anybody really well remember this Clipper load management Kawai era Finley do you no half a decade yeah no they’re still like far behind Lob City as far as fun Clippers teams I don’t they might even be be behind Quinton Richardson and Darius miles whatever that season was I could buy I’ll buy that I just I I never believed in the Clippers I know there’s pockets of the NBA that believed in the Clippers I just never thought they were going to do anything other than be middle of the pack in the west and get bounced but then there was that moment last there was that moment last year when they were like oh my God the Clippers I know but did you really believe in the Clippers I I was one of the last hold outs because I just don’t trust James Harden I didn’t trust kawai’s health and it felt like belatedly that was the right there was a moment there what were they like 26 and five I just never killed the Celtics in Boston um with with the Paul George thing though first team o NBA 53d team o NBA nine Allstars he was the number three MVP in 2019 he’s made the Conference Finals three times okay since 2016 when his first season when he came back from the broken leg 24 six and four almost 40% from three and yet he’s 34 and I read that quipper statement I’m like I don’t really blame him year year four of this he’s going to be over 50 million he’s going to be 38 years old can I read you the names from his draft yeah minutes from his draft Paul George number one 29,000 here’s the rest of the list descending order of minutes played Gordon Hayward John Wall Eric bledo DeMarcus Cousins Derek favers Evan Turner Avery Bradley Alfa Rook aminu Greg Monroe Patrick Patterson and Ed Davis he’s like the last guy from his draft so if I’m the Clippers I’m like oh man we couldn’t even make it at a round one this year with this team we’re we’re gonna go all in for four more I I kind of see it from their perspective I don’t like it I mean we ran a graphic the other day I’m I pulled up his basketball reference that he had he shot 91% from the line he shot 52% these are all career highs what do he shoot three yeah and shot 41% for so career-high in three-point percentage uh two uh free throw percentage and twoo percentage so overall field goal percentage I mean is there a chance that he’s like all right so you’re not going to get the old slashing Paul George Pacers Paul George little Thunder Paul George but you’re going to get raw shooter and can’t miss from the free throw line Paul George little extension of his career so you don’t have to worry about so many like mile like you know 22 you’re basically getting a way better Tobias serus maybe 22 to 23 a game really good shooting percentages can play defense and has been in a bunch of big games and at least for two years which is effectively your window with the be I mean Philly has has to do this they don’t have a choice what are they gonna do they have they’re on the clock with embiid in general they they they’re all in how much how much how open is embiid’s window in your mind for in what respect so of like being the guy like how by saying how open is his window at what point if you were running the Sixers you’re like you know what our window is now closing pretty tight like are you already I think closing part I mean MVP and then the window starts to close I guess I don’t see him making is he playing you know a 100 games I don’t know he playing 90 games to get to a finals he turns 30 this season he’s never had a truly memorable playoff moment he’s had a bunch of different injuries he has a bunch of you know bad stuff to his body in the rarie mirror that’s not great that never ages well he’s a center there’s stuff to be worried about and if you’re if you’re Daryl you’re just thinking you know you pulled off this Harden thing where Harden only wanted to go to one team you somehow got enough assets to at least like stay competitive until embiid got hurt last season then you basically have the illusion of Hope with your fans with the cap space like no no we got cap space fans like yeah we got cap space we’re going to be able to get somebody and then they actually got somebody okay okay it worked out you think like going back to Ben Simmons missing those free throws in Atlanta and that thing cratering turning Ben Simson to James Harden that thing craters then James Harden feuds with Philly and Daryl he need he wants out that craters they have to trade him they get this cap space stuff back usually this doesn’t work out but the bigger question to me is is is this the right fit slash City for Paul George because oh this is he he played in Indiana yeah played in OKC and he played for the black sheep clippers in La where it’s all Lakers all the time and the Clippers are kind of over there unless they’re doing well and now he’s going to Philly where I think how many what is there like 26ers podcast this is 247 this is the moment anything goes wrong people get mad you counting Paul George’s podcast as one of those he’s 21 Sixers podcast upset that he’s taking Sixers mind share like do you think he called Tobias Harris he’s like hey Tobias could you tell me about Philly no no well Tobias yeah don’t disappear don’t get paid a ton of money and disappear you’ll be fine I think that’s what Tobias Harris would done he’ll play hard he shows up like he played 74 games last year he’s gonna play hard and I think he’s gonna work with embiid I think it works I just it definitely works on paper well because the this stare and I’ve talked about this in the past where he has this three star Theory right this has always been how is ever since he had Trace IM migr and ya it’s like if I could just get three stars like that’s basically what the Celtics did and now there’s so much talent in the league I don’t know if it’s two stars and a lot of depth or whatever it is but just fundamentally when Maxi turns into a star and you still have embiid and you have this cap space you’re just keeping your fingers crossed basically from February on that something bad happens with another star that you can sign right so Paul George was The Logical candidate forever they lose in round one it’s still like well they’re not going to lose him they’re you know kawhai who knows if he’s playing like um but it somehow worked out and if you’re Sixers you have to do it I’m not being critical at all I just wonder from a Paul George standpoint this now becomes a big home run or disaster with no in between whereas the Clippers he could have just chugged along made one more thing and and basically Kawai gets blamed if it doesn’t work out right yeah but he’s just I don’t know if I’m Paul George I kind of want to take a shot at some point right like he’s not doing like the Clippers are not winning the championship and he knows it so I actually like it like like why don’t I go to the east why don’t I go to Philadelphia and try to win I like it his legacy is so for for knowing him as long as we have his legacy is still very much in pencil I don’t know I don’t know what it is it’s what’s the defining Paul George moment some bad playoff games dunking on dunking on Lebron when he was you know 21 or something well so the Clipper fans would say it was the Utah series the last couple games after kawhai went out when Paul George went to a whole other level that was yes theoretically is the perfect third guy to play with maxi and and embiid because you want you know he can be a stretch four for them he could also he could play two three or four so can basically he can Swiss army knife any of those positions a little like Jaylen Brown at the Celtics he can he can handle the ball a little bit for them they can play Maxi off the ball he gives them protection during the game you know embiid’s gonna have the the 20 game stretch when he’s just out for like a month um and he’s been a lot of big playoff game so for them it’s it’s the alltime no-brainer because Plan B was basically Klay Thompson and Naji Marshall you know it’s it’s you’re you’re just that yeah I like clay oh you like you’re in on Clay I’m way in on Clay you’re in on Revenge clay I I’m in on leadership clay this is how you win clay a little a little Revenge clay but I don’t think that clay plays well are we switching to Clay now I don’t think that CL okay I’ll save my think clay will play well angry I think clay needs to find another level of Joy clay only plays well happy and he’s he can’t play resentful I don’t think he can play vengeful but happy clay if you if we get happy clay yeah I’m very big on Happy clay I feel that way about myself happy situations I just produce better yeah play with joy podcast with joy podcasting with the Vengeance it doesn’t doesn’t play it takes are angrier little pessimistic doesn’t work tearing your jersey getting into fights in the first quarter doesn’t work can we play consiliary with with Paul George he had to this point he has not signed yet but it seems like he’s done with the clippers but Paul George calls us he’s like yo Clippers won’t give me four four years Max Philly’s like dying to give it to me I really love living in Southern California I’ve enjoyed being on the Clippers do you think I I go back east and I throw myself into this Celtics Sixers bucks hornets nest where now once for all people people are going to know about me as a player or I could just Glide over here and I’ll we have made $500 million and done a bunch of great stuff and um I can just enjoy my life or I’m gonna do this it sounds like we’re both like man just just know what you’re getting into but yeah do the thing this is what I would say I say Paul first thing I want you to do I want you to watch several of the I want you to watch three Rocky movies three Rocky movies you start with one and then you can pick two other ones yeah and I I want you to really start feeling Philadelphia then I want you to put on some Meek Mill Dreams and Nightmares start to get fired up and then when you sign with Philadelphia I want you to buy a Philly’s hat I want you go go to a Philly’s game and that’s the way you Embrace Philly right away like Creed’s my favorite movie I’ve watched Creed a hundred times you you got to go all in very very quickly I’m a i i’ i this is a great sports city I’m new here we had some good battles when I was with the Pacers but I I I’m so happy to be a sixer also call Iverson do go maybe go to the Phillies game with Iverson have Iverson on your podcast great great and Philly have Philly month on the Pod four Philly people in a row I want you to hit the ground running the and the the person I’m taking this from is Drake may all of a sudden Drake May at the Celtics at the Celtics game Drake May wearing Red Sox hats like great Drake May that this is exactly what I want you come in like yeah Celtics I’m here like perfect you would have you been would have been you know at a Wizards game if the commanders drafted you but now you’re 100% in on the Celtics boom hit the ground run it’s a great Point Drake May Day after he gets drafted shows up with all his brothers and his girlfriend from the seventh grade and said I wanted you to meet everybody because this is who you get when you get me and this is who you’re going to have in your life for the next 15 years the six of us I was like I’m in I also need six Celtics jerseys six just give me every guy gets a different player so Paul George you’re right because the Philly fans they’ve been hurt they’re bitter just a bitter bitter fan base but sometimes those are the tough loved ones that actually like you just got to kind of win them over and just get so he just needs to embrace the Philly it can’t be anything if he comes out of the gate and he says I never wanted to leave la I love Southern californ great I’m from there oh no don’t this is such a tough call like it’s just spin it Forward spin it Forward I’ve always admired the city of Philadelphia when I come here The Passion of the fans yep yep this I thought the way you guys treated Ben Simmons like he deserved it well that’s I have a I have a special Ben Simmons take coming up oh thing that just and I know you have clippers season season tickets yeah unfortunately it’s it’s it’s a Lakers town and I think that he would enjoy the idea of a city being that passionate about a team that he’s playing for oh this is good so he could say one of the reasons I had to leave La the city belongs to the Lakers I wanted to go to a place that lives and Breeze and dies with its basketball team I just missed that I had it in Indiana I had I just never felt it and then you’re like insulting the Clippers too a quick shot and then it’s but it doesn’t feel like that big of a shot because if someone came back and was like Am I Wrong is it a Clipper City let’s be honest LeBron owns La the Lakers own la we’re just over here I’m just being honest now I’m in Philly I do feel like there’s he could also like float it out a little bit like James Harden not fun to play with like just maybe second not IR ly tied to him but it’s like one of those it’s in a story three days from now yeah I think it’s like you can do that via Maxi compliments like wow this guy’s just loves the game here every day fill with joy infectious Joy better it’s nice to play Somebody’s think about making me better well to put on this Clippers thing I’m not ready to call it the most catastrophic NBA trade of the century because I think it was the Brooklyn Celtics trade which isn’t totally the fault of the trade because proov does that trade and then a year later just basically says we’re not spending money anymore after they had gone all in I do feel like if he had just kept spending money that Tatum Brown doesn’t happen like none of the stuff happens that happens with that trade it’s really like a a fluke this trade was pricey when it happened they gave up SGA nobody knew he was going to be SGA they gave up four first and two swaps and another pick and just already even if I’m not going to just read all the stuff that’s in it but already OKC got sgaa and jayen Williams from this trade yeah so already it’s a disaster right and if and if from a Clipper standpoint you’re like yeah but they won the title and like the way the Lakers fans talk about the Davis trade yeah well we did win in 2020 we got you know we won the title we made the Western Finals two years later um there is a remaining 2025 swap with OKC where prey’s now like doing the evil doct Dr evil laugh and then there’s still a 2026 unpr protected first left there’s still an unprotected first still assets left in this trade and I it’s moving up the ladder I’ll just say that it’s really bad really really tough one the SGA piece alone the franchise just SGA and a second rounder it’s a disaster yeah it’s like wow I traded SGA never mind unprotected first 2026 next year like what happens if Kawai yeah just misses next year and then James Harden does the James Harden thing and all of a sudden now they’re like the 13 seed in the west yeah and then the lottery and then Lottery hits W really tough and you know I’m sure they didn’t make the decision lately the other piece with it is that they trade for Harden who they signed today for 30 35 million a year for two years I’m not saying they picked James Harden over Paul George but when you trade all that stuff for James Harden then he’s the one you end up keeping so now you’re basically traded Paul George the first that you gave up in cap space for James Harden which is a bad trade and then today they signed Kevin Porter Jr which I was just like what are you guys doing it they do Clippers just seem like they’re the old Clippers again but this is like this is why the team’s been cursed since they moved to Southern California it’s never worked out ever with this te not great I I’m glad that you have season tickets though but not great I’m not glad I have season tickets well you should have just I mean at this point you should just get Lakers tickets no I no ST it’s just better Environ [Music]

The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by Kevin Wildes to discuss the NBA free agency and the news of Paul George leaving the Clippers.

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