After spending five years chasing a championship with the Clippers, Paul George decided to embark on a new chapter and signed a four-year, $212 million deal with the 76ers this offseason. The forward left the team as a free agent, meaning the franchise got nothing in return after they gave up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, and five first-round picks to acquire him from the Thunder in 2019.
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Some accused George of leaving the Clippers high and dry, but Demarcus Cousins believes the onus of his exits falls squarely on team president Lawrence Frank’s shoulders. On FanDuel TV’s Run It Back podcast, the four-time All-Star claimed the forward is being unfairly villainized for leaving the team when he wanted to stay with the franchise. He said,
“I just hate how it’s looked upon that Paul George messed up what could’ve been LA. We know Lawrence Frank man, like let’s not do this. It’s time to take some accountability. He’s on a legendary run, let’s just say that.”
“We know #LawrenceFrank, man, like let’s not do this. It’s time to take some accountability.” – @boogiecousins #DeMarcusCousins says the #Clippers #President is responsible for some of the rifts that have happened with players like him and #PaulGeorge #RunItBack #NBA pic.twitter.com/TGl7WJtxEM
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) October 15, 2024
When host Michelle Beadle asked Cousins why the team couldn’t retain George’s services, the center responded, “It’s always Lawerence.” Three-time Sixth Man of the Year award winner Lou Williams concurred with the four-time All-Star’s take, saying, “[Cousins] is not far off base.”
Both played for the Clippers in the past and seemingly alluded that they have witnessed firsthand how Frank operates and aren’t fans of his work. When Beadle asked Cousins to explain what he meant, he claimed that the Clippers’ front office was responsible for George’s exit, saying,
“I just want the accountability to be where it’s supposed to be. There’s no reason for him not to get everything he asked for in a contract year. There’s no reason.”
The veteran forward and the team were expected to find an agreement to extend their partnership beyond the 2023-24 season, but the distance between what he wanted and what the franchise was willing to give him led to his surprise exit.
A timeline of George and the Clippers’ negotiations
In the 2023-24 season, Paul George and Kawhi Leonard were in the final year of their contracts with the Clippers. Both players were keen on signing contract extensions with the franchise and the latter was the first to have his wish fulfilled. The two-time Finals MVP signed a three-year, $149.5 million extension in January.
George expected the team to offer him a similar deal during the season to prevent him from testing free agency. However, they waited until the season ended before offering him a three-year, $150 million extension. The forward wanted to ensure that the team did not use him as a makeweight in a trade in the future to acquire another star and demanded a no-trade clause. However, they declined it.
With the Clippers indicating they weren’t willing to commit to George for three years, he requested a four-year, $212 million max deal to ensure that even if the team parted ways with him, he’d still be paid handsomely regardless of where he played.
However, the franchise rejected his proposal seemingly fearing that no team would take on a star in his mid-30s and on a max contract, leaving them in the awkward position of having to keep him on the roster until 2028 even if they didn’t want him.
While talks between George and the Clippers remained at a standstill, the 76ers swooped in. They offered the veteran forward a four-year, $212 million deal and the opportunity to challenge for the title alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. The proposal was perfect for the 34-year-old and he decided to take his talent to Philadelphia, calling it a day on his time in LA.
