When it comes to basketball in Los Angeles, there’s no denying that the Lakers reign supreme over the Clippers.
The two franchises have been pitted against each over the past decade as the Clippers have signed stars to help them get over the championship hump and out of the Lakers’ shadow. So far, their efforts have been futile as the Clippers remain without a title while the Lakers were able to capture their 17th one back in 2020.
That’s not to say that the Clippers haven’t been a good basketball team as they’ve won plenty of regular season games, including 10 straight against the Lakers. The Clippers boast a dominant wing tandem in Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, two true stars who have looked good as of late and make their team seem like legitimate contenders.
Lakers fans have been spoiled with championships throughout the years, drawing the ire and envy of Clippers fans. However, that’s exactly why George believes winning a title for the Clippers would be more impactful than if he had won one with the Lakers, via Joseph Bien-Kahn of GQ:
“A championship with the Clippers 100% will outweigh a championship being with the Lakers,” he says. He tells me bringing the first chip to “this part of LA” would be legacy-defining.
There was a moment in time when it seemed like George was destined for the purple and gold. George was heavily rumored to be traded to the Lakers from the Indiana Pacers before he was sent to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Summer of 2019 was when the possibility essentially died as he was traded by the Thunder to the Clippers in a blockbuster deal that caught the NBA world off guard.
As for George’s actual comments, there’s some truth to what he’s saying as winning a title for a starved franchise for the Clippers is the stuff legacies are built on. One doesn’t need to look any further than LeBron James, who won the Cleveland Cavaliers’ first title in history and will be immortalized for it.
There’s respect from George for James as he recently praised the latter’s longevity, but the two are still rivals vying for the next title to come to the City of Angels.
Clippers and Bulls reportedly have interest in Russell Westbrook after expected buyout from Jazz
With so many wings on their roster, there aren’t many holes to fill for the Clippers. However, point guard is one spot that they could use an upgrade and they are reportedly in the mix along with the Chicago Bulls for Russell Westbrook, who is expected to receive a buyout from the Utah Jazz.
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