LA Clippers Star Reacts to Paul George Joining Philadelphia 76ers

The first Clippers star has broken their silence.

Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

The news of Paul George joining the Philadelphia 76ers happened on a late Monday night during the offseason. It was a moment that happened so unexpectedly, that none of the core members of the LA Clippers have yet to make a statement about it, until now.

While playing for Croatia in the summer, Ivica Zubac was asked about Paul George leaving during a media scrum on Tuesday. It was a question that the big man answered with a somber tone in his voice.

“That’s a great friend. We played together for 5 seasons," Zubac said. "It’s definitely tough seeing him leave. He was a big piece. It’s gonna be hard to replicate for us, he did so much, but there’s a business side [to basketball]. Unfortunately, that was the best decision for him, we’re gonna miss him a lot, but we signed some new guys. We got to work with what we have already, and I’m sure we’re gonna have a great season.”

Ivica Zubac on Paul George leaving for the Sixers:

“That’s a great friend. We played together for 5 seasons. It’s definitely tough seeing him leave. He was a big piece. It’s gonna be hard to replicate for us, he did so much, but there’s a business side [to basketball].… pic.twitter.com/8wTZOKou73

— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) July 2, 2024

Paul George and Ivica Zubac played for five seasons together, practically Ivica Zubac's entire Clipper career. With George gone, it'll be fascinating to see if the Clippers start utilizing their big man more as a focal piece in the offense. During Game 1 against the Dallas Mavericks, that's exactly what LA did and they came up with a win as he dominated with 20 points and 15 rebounds on 59% shooting from the field.

Mar 25, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul George (13) greets center Ivica Zubac (40) during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Make no mistake, the LA Clippers acquired some very competitive pieces with Paul George's departure. However, when your two best players are older, a third star starts to become much more necessary as injuries pile up.

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