Recapping Paul George’s Appearance on The Woj Pod
Paul George joined ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on The Woj Pod and spoke at length about his past, present and future. He dishes on the trade, Russell Westbrook, playing for the Lakers, and even Indiana’s trade offer that would have sent him to Golden State.
Click here for the full 33 minute podcast, or continue on for some notable quotes. Listening to the entire interview is suggested, as it’s a great look into where the 27-year-old swingman’s head is at entering his first season in Oklahoma City.
On being OKC’s “second chance” after losing Kevin Durant:
“From the second I touched down here I got that bit of hope feeling. Of bringing this team a championship. That’s what makes me feel the best about being here, is they’re not looking at me as a Kevin Durant replacement, but a new face of OKC. I’m more than excited, thrilled and honored to be a part of this organization.”
On Westbrook’s potential “Super Max” extension impacting his future:
“Hopefully at the end of this season me and Russ are both on the same page with plans. I’m hopeful to be in the loop with Russ on his decision, as much as he’s in the loop with me on my decision. Hopefully we can come together, and hopefully we’ve built something great that we will want to extend together and play more years here. We’ll let that happen at the end of the season. As of now, we have to go in and build something.”
On the year-long recruiting process:
“Spoil me. I’ve been more than thrilled and been blown away with how much they’ve offered already….with me just being here two days. The fact that anywhere I’ve been or I’ve gone here, it’s been so welcoming. It’s like a ‘what’s mine is yours’ kind of a thing. You can’t replace that anywhere. This has a chance to be home.”
On telling the Pacers he wouldn’t re-sign next summer:
“Who doesn’t want to go home and play in LA? I had that weighing on me, but again — I didn’t want Indiana… for me to just walk and they get nothing. I know how hard it is to attract free agents in Indiana. I wanted to give them a chance to get something for me, to have a great chance in the future with putting a team together. I thought it was the right time to address it.”
On being traded somewhere outside of Los Angeles:
“What I wanted out of this was to win. As I thought about it….the more and more I thought about it, it was ‘Hey I go to a team, we make the conference finals, we make the finals, we have a great coaching staff, a great team assembled, guys committed to winning… Why wouldn’t you want to stick around and be a part of that team or part of that organization?’ That was my take on it. Of course I wanted to come home, of course I wanted to play in LA and play for my hometown…but then a lot of me looked at the situation like, ‘If a team comes in and you absolutely love it, why walk away from it?'”
On the Pacers offering him to Golden State in exchange for Klay Thompson:
“I think that would have been the Chris Paul to LA situation….where they deny that trade. Yeah, I was aware of it. I would’ve looked forward to it. To just being in a good situation and a chance to compete for a championship. But it didn’t happen. It’s still fun to team up with a special talent and have a chance to compete against that team.”
On potentially staying in OKC:
“I’m committed as a Thunder to give them everything I have while I’m here. Again, if it’s special, if it’s meant to be, it will happen. I’ve came to enjoy that this place has a home feel to it. If at the end of the season, that’s where we get to? We’ll get to it. I’m more than fine with it. But again — we’ll address that in the offseason.”
On Kevin Durant:
“Everyone has different perspectives, everyone is different. It was something I have to go through myself. Kevin has been unbelievable for this city. He’s done many things, he’s been great. But whatever went on between he and Russ, that’s their business. It’s not my point to want to know, or want to figure out what happened. It’s pointless. They’re buddies. They’re back good again.”
