George says he would've gone to Lakers if Thunder didn't trade for him

Paul George says he had his mind made up before the Oklahoma City Thunder acquired him from the Indiana Pacers in the summer of 2017, shocking the NBA world.

"I wanted to play in L.A.," George told The Undefeated's Marc J. Spears. "That is where I wanted to go. Had that trade never went down, had I played one more year in Indy, I would have been in a Lakers uniform."

George was dealt from the Pacers to the Thunder on July 6, 2017 for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis. At the time, the trade was seen as a panic move, with Indiana trying to recoup assets before George could leave in free agency. However, Oladipo blossomed into an All-Star, while George found a fit with Russell Westbrook's Thunder.

Still, for most of last season, outside speculation was rampant that George would decamp for his hometown of Los Angeles as a free agent. He credits Thunder general manager Sam Presti for having the guts to make the trade for him, despite no assurances he would stay in Oklahoma City.

"It was a hell of a gamble," George said. "That was balls to go against L.A. They tried it, tested their luck and Sam came up lucky."