Ty Lue, leading the Los Angeles Clippers, admits that the team's drive for the upcoming 2024-25 season has actually intensified following Paul George's departure to the Philadelphia 76ers. In an interview with ESPN, Lue pointed out that the loss of such a high-profile player usually leads people to assume the team can no longer compete at a high level.
Head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers, Ty Lue admits that Paul George’s decision to sign a free agency contract with the Philadelphia 76ers has increased the Clippers’ motivation for the 2024-25 season. When you lose a guy of Paul George’s stature, instantly people think oh, they can’t win or they’re not going to be competitive, Lue told ESPN.
Rather than being discouraged, Lue finds this narrative motivating. He explained that knowing people expect them to fail only pushes him harder, and the 47-year-old coach is looking forward to proving the skeptics wrong.
Back in July, Paul George announced he was leaving the Clippers after five seasons to sign a maximum four-year contract with the 76ers. The 34-year-old leaves Los Angeles after a stellar run, including his ninth All-Star nod and a season where he averaged 22.6 points per game.
George's availability was a highlight of the past season, starting 74 games—his best health record since the 2018-19 season with the OKC Thunder. Over his 263 games in LA, he was a cornerstone of the offense, averaging 23 points, 6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. Interestingly, he had a player option worth $48.7 million to stay with the Clippers for the 2024-25 year.
Despite the Clippers offering a three-year deal worth $150 million, talks collapsed over a no-trade clause George requested, which the team wouldn't grant after their first-round exit against the Dallas Mavericks. On a brighter note, the Clippers managed to keep their other core stars, James Harden and Kawhi Leonard, on the roster this summer.
The team also bolstered its lineup by signing Derrick Jones Jr., who was a key contributor during the Mavericks' 2024 Finals run. To strengthen their bench and defensive presence, they brought in Kris Dunn and Nicolas Batum. With George gone, the burden of leadership and production now falls heavily on Leonard and Harden.
Although Kawhi Leonard had to skip the 2024 Paris Olympics to deal with a knee injury, he is expected to be fit for the season opener. With a reinforced defense supporting their two remaining stars, Lue's goal is to steer the team back into playoff contention by the spring.