Thunder's George content with choice to stay with Thunder, spurn Lakers

Playing at the height of his powers this season, it's understandable if Paul George feels validated with his decision to spurn his hometown Los Angeles Lakers to re-up with the Oklahoma City Thunder last summer.

Is was wildly assumed George would depart the Thunder, who surrendered Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis to land him in the summer of 2017, to head home to LA last summer when he hit free agency.

However, George stunned the basketball world by signing a longterm extension with OKC, a decision which left many in LA angry with the All-Star forward.

“Oklahoma City is where I feel comfortable at,” George said, according to Master Tesfatsion of Bleacher Report. “LA can hate me or love me. The decision was ultimately mine.”

George, a legitimate NBA candidate this season as he is averaging career-highs in points (28.2), rebounds (8.1), assists (4.2) and steals (2.2) while playing alongside former MVP Russell Westbrook, understands the reaction to his decision to remain with the Thunder, though.

“I think my words kind of threw people off because they read one sentence, and it’s, ‘Oh, he’s going to LA,'” George said. “I wanted to go to LA. I said that, and I voiced that ever since the Pacers were just about to trade me.

"But, it didn’t happen. I went somewhere else. I loved the situation. I was wowed by the situation. That’s where I feel comfortable at.”