Rumor: Paul George “gone’ in OKC

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Paul George said last week that it was too soon to think about his upcoming free agency, but the rumor mill says otherwise.

ESPN’s Ryen Russillo recently said on his radio show that he thinks George’s time in OKC is over. “Today is the first time I’ve heard from anybody that I trust that George is gone.”

Here’s Russillo’s conversation transcribed by SLAM:

Russillo: “Today is the first time I’ve heard from anybody that I trust that George is gone.”

To L.A.?

Russillo: “I don’t know where. It’s a ‘He’s gone’ deal.”

I heard (ESPN reporter) Royce Young say George thinks he’s leaning toward staying. George made it seem in the press conference after Game 6 that he genuinely was torn and maybe even wanted to stay…

Russillo: “I’m skeptical of sharing it […] because all of us watching (the press conference) were like, ‘Why would you even come back to this thing?’

“And I was like, Where is he going then? And (the source) was like, ‘All we know is that he’s gone.’ […]

“I know what Royce Young said, and I saw that coverage of it. Royce is fantastic and he would know better than I because he’s there.

“But Paul George also is somebody who knows what to say. But I wouldn’t trust anything he says.”

Of course the Lakers seem to be the most popular destination for free agency forecasters if George does choose to leave, but only time will tell.