It is widely believed that All-Star forward Paul George will opt out of his $20.7 million contract by the Friday deadline, which will make him an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Among the teams interested in signing George once he becomes a free agent is the Los Angeles Lakers, his hometown team.
George, 28, grew up in Palmdale, California and played his college ball at Fresno State. It has long been rumored that he would join the Lakers once the opportunity presents itself, which could be in one week's time. Ahead of his pending free agency, an apparent Lakers recruiting pitch was leaked to Sports Illustrated's Robin Lundberg and it features a voiceover the Lakers plan on using with video.
According to Robin Lundberg, "the person recruited to do the voiceover was told that it should be "less Morgan Freeman/Denzel Washington, and more Jamie Foxx.""
Although the actual video has yet to leak, the Lakers' free agency pitch, titled "Two Dreams," reportedly includes the following voiceover, obviously aimed at the Palmdale-native.
"When you were just a kid
In your room
Dreaming from Palmdale
We were dreaming too.
While you dreamt, we built—built for your arrival
And while we dreamt, you built too
Becoming one of the world's greatest.
Life's most powerful dream are the one we realize ourselves.
The ones that turn us into legends.
That kid from Palmdale always knew it
Now the world will, too"
Last season, his first with OKC, George averaged 21.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 79 games.