NBA Free Agency Report: Chris Paul Signs In Houston, Paul George In Oklahoma City

For one thing, you can check my tweets @BiloRatedSports. I have stated for months that Paul George would not be leaving OKC after they acquired him in a deal with Indiana last year. He was overwhelmed by the welcome he received by the fan base there, and Russell Westbrook has been recruiting him to resign ever since he landed there. Any talk of him bolting for his hometown Lakers was absurd, as he has been telegraphing his intent to stay with the Thunder for months. That very thing happened yesterday, as George resigned with OKC, basically ensuring that the Thunder would, at the very least, maintain their standing as a top 3 team in the Western Conference moving forward. George jilted LeBron James and his recruiting efforts, and never met with Lakers President Magic Johnson in a move that was sure to draw the ire of the Lakers faithful who somehow believe, that even in their current state of dumpster fire kingdom, that every single free agent of magnitude would bow before Magic at some point. In short, I will finally tell you all, with all certainty, that those days are long gone and dead. Magic has no real power in the current NBA hierarchy, and has not had any for a good many years. Rob Pelinka is not a draw, nor is it a draw when Kobe Bryant picks up the phone. Kobe could hardly draw interest when he was a player, as stars were repulsed from wanting to be his teammate. Why would they answer to him now?

Paul George found a home. He is largely loved in OKC, has found success in OKC, and wants to play in OKC for as long as he can. The franchise is on an upward swing, and nobody could blame him for doing what he told us all for months that he would do, if many had only listened. In OKC, George can be a star in his own right, and will be on equal footing with Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony. In LA, he is LeBron's trusty sidekick, and that's it.

Paul was also on the recruiting list with LeBron, and again, had already had his time in LA with the Clippers. He has found his home in Houston, and the Rockets rewarded him with a 4 year deal worth $160 million, more base cash than LeBron got by signing in LA. His signing means that Houston, short of a couple of moves at this point to simply bolster depth, will remain a top 3 player in the Western Conference. Paul has his injury history, to be certain, and that did not change when he was lost in the playoffs, but it bolsters the Rockets when he is on the court, and is enough to keep them in a position to push Golden State when he is healthy.

With these two major signings, stability reigned in a market that was highly thought of to be fraught with change. Looks like ESPN swung and missed on those projections once again, because for a majority of the biggest stars in this market, the more things changed, the more they stayed the same.