Paul George is "gone" after his lone season with the Oklahoma City Thunder, which ended with a first round exit at the hands of the Utah Jazz.
According to ESPN's Ryen Russillo, a trusted source informed him that the 27-year old forward will sign with a new team once he officially becomes a free agent this Summer.
Russillo: "Today is the first time I’ve heard from anybody that I trust that George is gone. So I’m sharing that now.”
To L.A.?
Russillo: “I don’t know where. It’s a ‘He’s gone’ deal.”
I heard (ESPN reporter) Royce Young say George thinks he’s leaning toward staying. George made it seem in the press conference after Game 6 that he genuinely was torn and maybe even wanted to stay…
Russillo: “I’m skeptical of sharing it because […] all of us watching (the press conference) are like, ‘Why would you even come back to this thing?’
“And I was like, Where is he going then? And (the source) was like, ‘All we know is that he’s gone.’ […]
“I know what Royce Young said, and I saw that coverage of it. Royce is fantastic and he would know better than I because he’s there.
“But Paul George also is somebody who knows what to say. I wouldn’t trust anything he says.”
In 79 games with the Thunder this season, Paul George averaged 21.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. Even before the trade last off-season that sent George from Indiana to OKC, it was reported that he was committed to playing for his hometown team - the Los Angeles Lakers. Starting July 1, he'll have his chance.
Listen to Russillo's comments below.