"I hated it" - Steve Ballmer vents frustration at Paul George departure amid reports of acrimonious split
This offseason, Steve Ballmer and Paul George bid one another farewell as the organization and the nine-time All-Star were unable to find common ground during negotiations for a new contract. Since the split, details have continued to emerge regarding how negotiations played out prior to George signing a four-year $212 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers.
As Clippers owner Steve Ballmer recently explained, he hates how things played out given George's status as a future Hall of Famer. According to George, who spoke on his Podcast P show earlier this month, the Clippers offered him a two-year deal worth $60 million.
The team then reportedly offered him a three-year, $150 million contract at the end of the year, however Paul George and his team came back and countered, requesting a no-trade clause. When LA turned him down, he and his team countered again, asking for a four-year deal worth $212 million, sans the NTC.
When the Clippers declined, he signed with the Philadelphia 76ers. Speaking to ESPN this week, Steve Ballmer opened up on the split:
"I love Paul, let's start with Paul as a human being. Paul is a great human being and I've really enjoyed my opportunity to get to know Paul's family. So on a personal level, I hated it. I hated it.
"From a basketball perspective, Paul is a fantastic player, future Hall of Famer. But we knew we needed to continue to get better.”
"It was just a stalemate" - Paul George opens up on split from LA Clippers while praising Steve Ballmer
Much like Steve Ballmer explained while speaking with ESPN, Paul George has nothing but love for the Clippers' owner despite the split. Earlier this month, while speaking on his Podcast P show, the former MVP contender spoke about the split, recalling the contract negotiations that took place.
From his perspective, George explained that he felt as though he played well enough for the Clippers to see long-term value in his future. Although he acknowledged that the team was unable to accomplish their ultimate goal of winning an NBA title, bad luck was a major factor in their struggles.
Since 2020, both Paul George and Kawhi Leonard have dealt with their fair share of injuries. Over the past two seasons specifically, the pair were unable to remain healthy come playoff time, with Leonard playing four playoff games total over the past two years, and George playing in six.
While things didn't work out, he explained that he still has love for Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, calling him one of the best owners he'd ever played for.
"It was just a stalemate. We came to a stale[mate] and ultimately it was like, alright, that ship has sailed…I love Steve [Ballmer], I love Lawrence [Frank], but at that point it didn't even feel right to come back with that type of energy and be comfortable playing back in LA…
"Steve is a good dude. I love Steve as an owner, one of the best owners that I played for, but it's a business."
With the opening of his new Intuit Dome in LA, it's clear that Ballmer is looking to keep the vibes high in LA despite the departure of George. As he explained, despite losing an MVP-caliber player in Paul George, he's confident the Clippers can contend next season.