Paul George got the news as he returned to Los Angeles on Wednesday night for the first time since leaving the Clippers for the Philadelphia 76ers last summer.
Fans booed George when he was introduced into the Clippers’ new stadium, the Intuit Dome, which was barely full. They were vocal every time he touched the ball early, and he responded with back-to-back 3-pointers that pulled the Sixers into an early tie.
“I’ll boo him tonight and love him later,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said before the game.
George missed his second game of the season due to a left knee injury. He scored 15 points in 32 minutes in the Sixers’ 118-116 loss in Phoenix on Monday.
“He gives us a little more versatility defensively,” Sixers coach Nick Nurse said. “He’s 6-9 and can cover a lot of things. He’s given us some size. He’s definitely anchored us on the offensive side of things.”
Late in the first quarter, the Clippers played a tribute video to George on a giant halo on the court. He waved his hand to acknowledge polite applause.
“He has a special talent,” Lu said. “He saw everything, he saw every defense.”
In five seasons with the Clippers, the native of nearby Palmdale helped them reach their first Western Conference finals appearance, but were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs the past two years.
George opted out of the player option on his $48 million contract with the Clippers to become a free agent and drew interest from Philly to play alongside Joel Embiid. He has yet to play this season due to a knee injury and is currently serving a three-game suspension for pushing a Philly sports columnist.
The Clippers are 3-4 to start the season, with little to help attract fans to their new building.
Another fan held a picket sign that read, ‘Polsey, please come back.’ The Clippers are again without Kawhi Leonard, who has yet to play this season as he undergoes surgery to repair his right knee. Besides George, they lost Russell Westbrook from the Big Four, which is now up to Leonard and James Harden.
The Associated Press reported.
(Want great stories delivered straight to your inbox? Create or log in to a FOX Sports account and follow leagues, teams and players to receive personalized newsletters every day..)
Get more information from the National Basketball Association Follow your favorites to stay informed about games, news, and more.
