Paul George ‘never wanted to leave’ Clippers, but says initial offer was disrespectful

Paul George opted out of his final year with the Clippers and signed with the Philadelphia 76ers last week. Last fall, George said, the Clippers approached him with an extension offer for two years and $60 million, which the veteran player thought was “kind of disrespectful.” “I’m like, ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa. “So I’m like, ‘Naw, I’m not signing that.’” George said the Clippers’ offer went up “inches, inches, inches” during the early months of last season. “They didn’t wanna do that.” At that point, George said, he shut down negotiations for the remainder of the season because “it was starting to get into my mood.” After the Clippers’ loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the playoffs, George said, the team offered him a three-year, $150-million deal. “But at that point it didn’t even feel right to come back with that type of energy and be comfortable playing back in L.A.” George also said he spoke with Leonard privately to inform him of his intention to leave five years after they joined the team together — Leonard as a free agent and George in a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder.