Los Angeles Clippers consultant and NBA Hall of Famer Jerry West admits he's never seen anything like Kawhi Leonard's recruitment of Paul George.
George signed a four-year contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder last summer worth $136.9 million. The expectation around the league was George would play out that contract in OKC. Leonard, though, had other ideas. The two-time Finals MVP wanted to play with George on the Clippers.
So, Leonard convinced George to demand a trade from the Thunder to the Clippers. LAC had to give up a record-setting amount of picks to OKC to acquire George, plus Danilo Gallinari and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
But it was worth it, as the Clippers now have two of the best players in the league in Leonard and George on their roster.
“I've never seen anything like it where players can recruit other players and so I guess that's the modern day NBA,” Jerry West said on The Dan Patrick Show, via Sporting News. “It's just so different. Players are free to move around, agents and players contribute where they go. … It really does wonders for a franchise. It's just hard to describe the excitement within the Clipper organization.”
For the first time in franchise history, the Clippers are title contenders with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in the fold. The battle of Los Angeles is going to be very entertaining in 2019-20.
The Lakers, led by LeBron James and Anthony Davis, will try and remain the big brother in LA over Kawhi, PG and the Clips.
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