Paul George recalled the bias support that LA fans had for the Lakers after he joined the Clippers (Imagn)

There is an ongoing rivalry between the Lakers and the Clippers, which Paul George experienced firsthand. The nine-time NBA All-Star played five seasons with the Clippers before being acquired by Philadelphia in the 2024 offseason. During his time in LA, he remembered the strong bias associated with the purple and gold squad.

The Lakers originally moved to LA in 1960 after being placed in Minneapolis. Since then, they have become one of the biggest franchises in NBA history. The Clippers, on the other hand, moved to LA around 1980 after previous years in Buffalo (1970) and San Diego (1977).

As George is set to enter a new era, the 76ers forward looked back on his time with the Clippers. He shared what fans told him on the latest episode of his “Podcast P.”

“I think initially, coming back to L.A., that was home,” George said. “… It’s not the same love. Because when I was in L.A., they like, ‘Man you should have been a Laker,’ that’s all I was hearing. … I’m on a B team. That’s how the love and the vibe felt.”

The relationship between the two LA franchises can be viewed from a “little brother and older brother” angle. Considering the Lakers have been around longer and accomplished more in their tenure, the Clippers are inferior to the city’s other NBA team.

Despite coming back to play for his hometown, George argued that the energy surrounding his time there stirred far from the expected energy of a homecoming.

Paul George felt ‘disrespected’ by Clippers’ first initial offer

On Jul. 1, George signed a four-year, $212 max contract with the Philadelphia 76ers as an envisioned pivotal piece alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. The move closed his chapter with the Clippers after months of reports involving contract negotiation hurdles.

However, he revealed on Jul. 8 through his podcast that he wanted to make things work with the Clippers organization.

“(29:09) I never wanted to leave L.A.,” George said. “L.A. is home, this is where I wanted to finish at, and I wanted to work as hard as possible to win one in L.A. … As it played out though, the first initial deal was I thought kind of disrespectful. In all of this, no hard feelings, no love lost … it’s a business. So the first initial deal was like two years. …”

The offer left a sour taste in his mouth, forcing him to consider other options that better suit his needs and preferences.

With the Philadelphia 76ers, he is again in a great situation to secure his first championship while playing alongside the 2023 MVP Joel Embiid.

Former LA Clippers forward Paul George driving past Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic

It sets the stage for George to enter his 15th NBA season with a chip on his shoulder in one of the most exciting all-star team-ups in the league.