"I owe them a trophy" – When Paul George promised to bring a title to the Clippers
Paul George's run as a Los Angeles Clipper is finally over. After the franchise failed to reach an agreement with the All-Star forward, PG proceeded to secure a four-year, $213 million contract he was seeking from the Philadelphia 76ers.
George's departure from the Clippers only signified that his ambitious promise to the organization four years earlier did not come to fruition.
From hype to disappointment
For the past five seasons, George and the Clippers have experienced a roller coaster ride in their partnership, yet their dream of an NBA title has remained elusive.
2019 felt like yesterday when the Clips' celebrated their biggest moment in franchise history. They landed both PG and Kawhi Leonard in a groundbreaking fashion, making them one of the favorites to conquer the league for years.
PG's and Kawhi's arrival to their side brought the Clippers immense pressure to win it all, yet what unfolded for the following seasons were frustrations and disappointments. The superstar duo struggled to be healthy and available when it mattered the most. In their five-year campaign, they only led the Clips to their first-ever Conference Finals in 2021 at best, as an NBA Finals appearance, let alone an NBA championship, proved too difficult to reach.
To acquire PG, the Clippers had to surrender a lot of their assets, including their future, by sending Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, unprotected 2022, 2024, and 2026 first-round picks, first-round pick swaps in 2023 and 2025, and unprotected 2021 and protected 2023 first-round picks via the Miami Heat to the Oklahoma City Thunder. But in the end, the bold sacrifice they made just to witness the star swingman bringing home that title ended in a miserable flop.
What's next for the Clippers?
With PG leaving for Philly, it is safe to conclude that the Clippers' ongoing contention era has reached an unfortunate end. Although they still have Kawhi Leonard and James Harden at the front, they are considerably the shell of their former selves as age and injuries continue to decline their play. The franchise has a little flexibility left, especially in their assets, with no first-round picks to utilize until 2027, and they are restricted in their spending power as one of the teams residing above the league's second apron.
The Clippers' marvelous attempt to win their first title by trading for George on a massive haul seemed like a no-brainer at the time. Unfortunately, their gamble didn't work out well in pursuit of their ultimate goal.
