General manager Sam Presti and the Oklahoma City Thunder took a huge swing this summer, depleting their roster of many solid NBA players to acquire Paul George and Carmelo Anthony to pair with Russell Westbrook. The team has been inconsistent this season, but is still considered a threat in the Western Conference playoffs given all its star power.
But the question remains, with George likely opting out of his contract to become a free agent this summer: Will he stick around even if the Thunder season ends with a first-round exit?
According to George, his free agency decision has nothing to do with the way the Thunder finish this season. Via ESPN:
"I can see myself being here," George said. "I've been happy here, I've been happy with the organization, happy with my teammates. Our record is not what we want it to be, but I think I've enjoyed just learning and being around these guys. So my answer is still the same. I'm not going to let the playoffs or how we finish this season persuade or indicate where I'm going to this offseason. I'm going to put everything into this and again, I can definitely see myself being here.
"This is our first year together. This is year one for this group. We've got a chance to win it all, but realistically it takes time for things to build and chemistry to mesh. Just for everybody to be on the same page. So this wasn't a championship or bust coming into this for me. It was just an opportunity to see what it's like being here and just to naturally fall in love with it. And it's been that. It's been a lot of love here."
George would never publicly say that he's leaving if the Thunder don't win a championship, but his rationale and perspective have to at least be a bit comforting for Thunder fans. The Lakers are considered a major competitor to sign George this summer, with a burgeoning core of young talent and the cap space for two potential max contracts, but it definitely sounds like P.G. has enjoyed playing in his new environment.
Free agency is probably the furthest thing from his mind right now, however, as the Thunder fight for position in the insane Western Conference playoff race. They entered Friday tied with the Spurs for the No. 5 spot, but are just a single game ahead of the eighth-place Minnesota Timberwolves and ninth-place Denver Nuggets -- both teams own same record -- with a tough matchup against the Houston Rockets on Saturday.
