Paul George: Lakers target SPOTTED in Los Angeles as free agency saga continues
PAUL GEORGE will head into free agency this summer as a wanted man with the Los Angeles Lakers and Oklahoma City Thunder battling it out to secure his services
The 28-year-old opted out of the final year of his Thunder contract earlier this week and will become a free agent on July 1.
The long-time Lakers target had been considered a lock to sign in Los Angeles this summer, finally ending years of speculation linking him to his hometown club.
But the situation is believed to have been complicated after a year spent alongside Russell Westbrook in Oklahoma City, with whom the five-time All-Star has developed a close friendship.
George now looks set for a difficult choice in deciding between the Thunder and the Lakers – although the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers are also considered outside contenders for the five-time All-Star.
Multiple reports around the league yesterday suggested George is currently leaning towards resigning with the Thunder - a fact that did not go down well with the Lakers’ fanbase online – despite being knocked out of the first round of the playoffs last season.
But in a fresh twist today, George was spotted dining at an upmarket restaurant, Catch, in Los Angeles by ESPN reporter Arash Markazi.
“I live down the street from Catch, I should go talk to him and ask why he’s playin’ [us],” joked one Lakers fan.
Another wrote: “He better enjoy it, because if he doesn’t sign here…
“Sure, he’s not gonna get booted from Catch, but a lot of things he enjoys in his everyday life [in LA] will change.”
George’s path through the free agency process is being documented in an ESPN mini-series, My Journey, during which the former Indiana Pacer revealed he would prioritise winning a championship over all else when choosing his next move.
However, the Thunder, who own his bird rights, may also be able to tempt George to stick around with a lucrative max offer sheet worth $176m over five years.
Any other team could only offer George the maximum over a four-year period, meaning he could risk losing out on $46m in guaranteed cash later down the line.