Steve Ballmer Reveals He ‘Hated’ Paul George Leaving Clippers

The Los Angeles Clippers’ five-year experience is officially over. The spectacular trade for Paul George , which was among the largest of its time, had a disappointing journey. While the team got PG and Kawhi Leonard on the same roster, the results were far from ideal by coming up short of even an NBA Finals appearance.

During their half-decade run, the Clippers won a total of three playoff series, a gross underachievement considering the expectations. Meanwhile, the acquisitions of former MVPs James Harden and Russell Westbrook were a blow to the salary books.

However, those days are at an end now. After failing to reach a contract extension with Los Angeles, PG13 is on his way to Philadelphia. George is right back in the contention hunt as the third running mate alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey .

NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers Updates

On the other hand, LA and owner Steve Ballmer have had to rebuild the roster on the fly. Given the extensions to Kawhi and Harden, the team has done an admirable job given the dearth of assets. Recently, Steve Ballmer sat down to discuss the entire situation while unveiling the new Intuit Dome and was candid about his feelings.

Steve Ballmer reveals hate for the Paul George move

After a lengthy contract negotiation spanning the entirety of the 2023-24 NBA season, the two sides couldn’t agree. As a result, Paul is a member of the Philadelphia 76ers on a fresh four-year, $212 million contract. Unfortunately, not everyone is a fan of the decision.

In particular, Steve Ballmer spoke about his love for the 9-time All-Star, both as a human and a basketball player. Despite what he thought was an incredible offer that kept the team in the Championship hunt, PG thought otherwise. But, the multi-billionaire understood that it wasn’t what the former MVP contender had in mind.

“I love Paul. Let’s start with Paul as a human being. Paul is a great human being, and I’ve really enjoyed my opportunity to get to know Paul’s family. So on a personal level, I hated it. I hated it. From a basketball perspective, Paul is a fantastic player, future Hall of Famer. But we knew we needed to continue to get better. And with the new CBA, what tools, what flexibility [can be restricted], we made Paul what I consider a great offer. But it was a great offer in terms of us thinking about how to win championships. It wasn’t what Paul wanted.”

But, the team hasn’t been quiet in the wake of his departure. Instead, in a quick pivot, they found valuable pieces in Derrick Jones Jr, a returning Nicolas Batum , Kevin Porter Jr, Kris Dunn , and Mo Bamba. As a result, they go into next season with a different outlook and collection of talent. And, Balmer is ever confident about his team’s chances.

“I think we’re going to be a very, very good team. We’re going to contend. We’ll see how far it takes us…Our two guys at the top are pretty good, and I’ll take our guys that we flank around them. Just take a look at Dallas. They rode the backs of two great players and a bunch of other very, very good players, and we certainly have that.”

NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers Updates

Without a first-round pick until 2030, the Clippers have no incentive to be bad around this time. Further, the returns wouldn’t be substantial enough to justify a rebuild in two aging stars. That is without considering the new arena, which almost necessitates a run at the top. For the foreseeable future, Los Angeles is going all in. It just happens to be without Paul George.

How the PG negotiations went awry

Speaking about the situation on his Podcast P with Paul George, the newest Philadelphia 76er detailed his conversations with the Clippers. After an initial low-ball offer, the team gradually raised its price. However, George wasn’t willing to settle for less than the bargain that Kawhi Leonard got. At three years and $150 million, Paul felt it was a valid offer.

However, when the team reached that number, it was too late. Instead, PG13 wanted a no-trade clause and the money to ensure his security in his hometown. Unfortunately, Lawrence Frank and Steve Ballmer weren’t willing to budge on that. As a result, talks fell through. Soon after, Daryl Morey and the 76ers emerged as potential suitors. In a matter of days, the deal was official.

NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers Updates

Now, with a revamped Big 3, the 76ers aim for at least their first Conference Finals in the Joel Embiid era while the Clippers continue their quest for a title.

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