George will join Kawhi Leonard on the Clippers, but before he gets settled, he thanked the Thunder after spending two seasons with the team.
“Thank you Oklahoma for 2 great years, you took me in as one of your own from the day I touched down,” George wrote on Instagram. “Thank you to the fans who make representing those 3 letters mean something. Thank you to Sam and Clay for being the best management a franchise and player could ask for.
“Thank you to the friends within the organization that took care of my family and I whenever we needed help. The picture shown is a bond that can’t be broken I truly loved and enjoyed the race from start to finish. Thank you OKLAHOMA! You already know what it is @russwest44! Love brodie!”
George’s agent, Aaron Mintz, had called the Thunder to request a trade on behalf of his client a few days ago, according to ESPN, which cited unidentified sources.
A post shared by Paul George (@ygtrece) on Jul 6, 2019 at 7:22pm PDT
Leonard was heavily recruiting George to join him with the Clippers, even though George had signed a four-year deal with the Thunder last offseason.
The Thunder could have denied George’s request and tried to make it work, but they reportedly were concerned it could turn into a situation similar to Anthony Davis’ departure from the Pelicans.
Oklahoma City finished the regular season in sixth position in the Western Conference with a 49-33 record. The Thunder had a disappointing early exit from the playoffs after the Trail Blazers eliminated them in five games.
George averaged 28 points on 43.8% shooting. He also averaged 8.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 77 games last season.
