Clippers Coach Reveals Thoughts on Nine-Time All-Star's New Situation

Ty Lue shares his thoughts on Paul George leaving LA for the Sixers.

Oct 10, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; LA Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue talks with forward Paul George (13) during the first quarter at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports / Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

This offseason, the Philadelphia 76ers nabbed arguably the biggest name on the free agent market by signing Paul George to a four-year max contract. With him joining forces with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, the LA Clippers must get used to life without the All-Star forward.

The Clippers famously traded for George in 2019 after signing Kawhi Leonard in free agency. After surrendering a package that included future MVP runner-up Shai Gilgeous-Alexande, the franchise had to watch him walk away for nothing.

After helping Team USA win a gold medal as an assistant on Steve Kerr's staff, Ty Lue shared his thoughts on PG opting to sign elsewhere in free agency. He is looking forward to proving the critics wrong and keeping the Clippers competitive in 2025 and beyond.

"When you lose a guy of Paul George's stature, instantly people [think] oh, they can't win or they're not going to be competitive," Lue told ESPN last week. "But that just challenges me even more. OK, people are counting us out or people don't think we're going to be good. That right there just gives me an extra dose of [motivation]. I can't wait to prove everybody wrong."

It's worth noting that the Clippers still have a pair of All-Stars leading the charge for them in Kawhi Leonard and James Harden. The front office also made additions to the supporting cast by signing Mo Bamba, Nic Batum, Derrick Jones Jr, and Kevin Porter Jr.

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Lue is gearing up for what will be his fifth season as head coach of the Clippers. Last year, they won 51 games and finished with a top-four seed in the Western Conference. However, it didn't result in much success in the postseason, as they were eliminated in the first round by the Dallas Mavericks.

The Clippers still have a talented roster, but face a tough road ahead in what is expected to be a stacked Western Conference. As for George and the Sixers, they are looking to quickly enter the title hunt with their newly-formed big three.