Paul George’s NBA journey has been one filled with twists, turns, and what-ifs that continue to stir conversations years later. One of the most intriguing revelations about his career came when he admitted that his dream of joining the Los Angeles Lakers in the summer of 2018 was derailed by the Indiana Pacers’ decision to trade him to the Oklahoma City Thunder. George’s candid words — “I would have been in a Lakers uniform” — cut deep for Lakers fans who had long hoped to see him return to Southern California, where he grew up in Palmdale, and lead the purple and gold back to championship glory. The story of how that dream fell apart is not just about a trade, but about timing, circumstances, and the ripple effects that shaped both George’s career and the Lakers’ future.
To understand the full scope of this missed opportunity, one has to go back to George’s tenure in Indiana. Drafted by the Pacers in 2010, George blossomed into a star and one of the league’s premier two-way players. He led Indiana deep into the playoffs, even battling LeBron James and the Miami Heat in multiple Eastern Conference Finals. For a while, George seemed destined to be the face of the Pacers for years to come. But after years of falling short, and with Indiana’s roster failing to evolve into a championship contender, George began to feel the weight of stagnation. In 2017, rumors swirled that he wanted out, and his desire to one day play for the Lakers became public knowledge. He wanted to go home, to play under the bright lights of Los Angeles, and to wear the jersey of the franchise he had admired since childhood.
The Pacers, however, were not going to lose their superstar for nothing. Fearing George would leave in free agency, they explored trade options and eventually dealt him to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the summer of 2017 for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis. At the time, many analysts criticized the deal, claiming Indiana did not receive enough in return for an All-NBA caliber player. Yet, as time would prove, the Pacers actually landed two cornerstones who would become All-Stars, while George entered an uncertain situation in Oklahoma City alongside Russell Westbrook. For George, it meant that his timeline for reaching Los Angeles was put on pause. Instead of testing the market in 2017 or 2018 as he had hoped, he found himself adjusting to a new environment in a city that wasn’t in his plans.
Oklahoma City represented both a detour and an unexpected challenge. Teaming with Westbrook, George tried to build something special, but the Thunder struggled to break through in the competitive Western Conference. Still, George found a level of comfort he hadn’t anticipated. He appreciated the loyalty shown by the organization and the bond he developed with Westbrook. That loyalty would eventually play a role in one of the most surprising free agency decisions of the decade. But before that, there was still the looming summer of 2018 — the one George himself admitted could have been his homecoming to Los Angeles.
The summer of 2018 was monumental in NBA history. The Lakers were in transition, looking to build a new contender after years of mediocrity following the Kobe Bryant era. Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka were at the helm of the front office, plotting a way to restore glory to the franchise. LeBron James, after four years with the Cleveland Cavaliers, was exploring his future and eventually made the decision to sign with the Lakers. For Lakers fans, the idea of pairing LeBron with Paul George — a native son and an elite two-way wing — was tantalizing. It seemed to be the perfect storybook fit. George’s contract situation made him a free agent that summer, and the Lakers had cleared cap space to pursue him. The dream scenario was right there for the taking.
But instead of returning home, George shocked the basketball world by re-signing with the Thunder. He didn’t even grant the Lakers a meeting. The decision stunned fans and analysts alike, given that George had openly expressed a desire to one day play in Los Angeles. He even filmed a documentary series with ESPN leading up to free agency that many assumed would culminate in him joining the Lakers. Instead, the series ended with George announcing his decision to stay in Oklahoma City, citing his connection with Westbrook and the Thunder organization. For Lakers fans, it felt like a cruel twist of fate.
Years later, George opened up about how the Pacers’ trade altered his plans. By sending him to Oklahoma City, Indiana took away the chance for him to hit free agency as a Pacer and choose his next destination on his own terms. In his own words, he said he “would have been in a Lakers uniform” in 2018 had the trade never happened. The Pacers’ decision forced him into a situation where loyalty and circumstances carried more weight than his original intentions. While George did eventually return to Los Angeles by joining the Clippers in 2019 through a blockbuster trade that also brought Kawhi Leonard to the team, it wasn’t the same as joining the Lakers when the opportunity first presented itself.
The ripple effects of George’s decision not to join the Lakers in 2018 are fascinating to unpack. Without George, the Lakers turned their focus toward building around LeBron James in other ways. In 2019, they traded for Anthony Davis, forming a duo that would lead the franchise to the 2020 NBA championship inside the Orlando bubble. Had George joined LeBron instead of re-signing in Oklahoma City, the roster construction may have been completely different. Perhaps the Lakers never pursue Davis, or perhaps the entire timeline of their return to contention shifts. On the other side, George’s decision to stay in Oklahoma City kept the Thunder in the playoff picture for a couple more seasons before he eventually forced a trade to the Clippers. That move, in turn, reshaped the NBA landscape by creating a new superteam in Los Angeles, but on the Clippers’ side of the rivalry.
For George himself, the alternate reality is just as compelling to imagine. Had he joined the Lakers in 2018, he would have been paired with LeBron James immediately. With George’s defensive versatility and offensive skill set complementing LeBron’s all-around brilliance, the Lakers could have been contenders even sooner. The pairing might have also changed perceptions of George, whose career has often been scrutinized for playoff shortcomings. Playing alongside LeBron might have given him a better platform to compete for championships, rather than the early playoff exits he endured in Oklahoma City and later with the Clippers. His legacy could look very different today.
Yet, George’s comments reveal that players are not always in complete control of their destinies. Trades, organizational decisions, and timing play enormous roles in shaping careers. In his case, Indiana’s decision to trade him instead of letting him play out his contract and enter free agency as a Pacer ultimately rerouted his path. It’s one of those fascinating “what-if” moments in NBA history that will be debated for years.
For the Lakers, missing out on George in 2018 was initially painful, especially since he was a hometown star who seemed destined to don the purple and gold. But in hindsight, the team’s pivot to acquire Anthony Davis proved to be a championship-winning decision. LeBron and Davis delivered on their promise, and the franchise added another banner to its storied history. While George has built a strong career, including multiple All-Star appearances and an All-NBA First Team selection, the narrative of him passing on the Lakers in free agency continues to shadow his legacy.
For the Clippers, George eventually joining them in 2019 marked the beginning of a new chapter. Paired with Kawhi Leonard, he gave the Clippers their most talented roster in franchise history. While injuries and tough playoff battles have prevented them from winning a championship so far, George has remained one of the league’s elite players, and his decision to come home to Los Angeles — albeit to the Clippers rather than the Lakers — still fulfilled part of his dream.
But even as George has written new chapters in his career, his words about 2018 remain telling. “I would have been in a Lakers uniform” isn’t just a hypothetical — it’s a window into how close the NBA world was to witnessing a different reality. Fans often think of player movement as solely based on free will, but George’s story shows how fragile that balance can be. The Pacers’ decision altered the trajectory not just of George’s career, but of multiple franchises, and perhaps even championship outcomes.
In the end, the saga of Paul George and the Lakers is one of those rare NBA stories that lingers, not because of what happened, but because of what didn’t. George has carved out a successful career, the Lakers found their own path to a title, and the Clippers got their star. Yet, somewhere in the realm of NBA “what-ifs,” there exists a vision of Paul George wearing purple and gold in the summer of 2018, standing alongside LeBron James, and trying to restore the Lakers to their throne. It’s a vision that will forever fuel debates among fans and analysts, reminding everyone that in sports, timing and circumstance can change everything.
