When the Oklahoma City Thunder were eliminated by the Utah Jazz in the first round of the playoffs, many Los Angeles Lakers fans were ecstatic. Thunder wing Paul George is an unrestricted free agent this summer and the Southern California native is well known to be a primary target for the Lakers.
George has been linked to the Lakers for the majority of the past two seasons, with many believing he is practically a lock to sign with the team. Of course, George has always maintained that winning was most important to him, hence why many Lakers fans were rooting for the early demise of the Thunder.
The idea of playing in your hometown is something that many players likely think about, but don’t always get the opportunity to do. In his exit interview with the Thunder, George admitted that most players would love to do so, but maintained that it isn’t the only factor weighing in his decision, via The Oklahoman:
“I would say almost everybody in this league would love to play at home. I won’t say that’s a lie. Everybody would love to play for their home in one way or the other. But that’s not the only option for why I want to go somewhere is because it’s home. Not at all.”
There are always plenty of factors that go into a major decision such as this. In addition to location and winning, things such as money, offensive system, role with a team, and off-court endorsement potential all play a role, and how big depends on the player.
George has a lot of things to weigh before he makes his decision once free agency begins. He has consistently spoken as if he would love to remain in Oklahoma City, but Magic Johnson and the Lakers will surely do everything possible to convince him that coming home is the best move he could make.
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