George: Interest in Lakers is 'overstated,' could stay with Thunder

It's felt like a foregone conclusion that once he hits unrestricted free agency next summer, All-Star swingman Paul George will return home to become a member of the storied Los Angeles Lakers.

Well, not so fast.

Now with the Oklahoma City Thunder following a recent trade from the Indiana Pacers, the 27-year-old could elect to stay put if his new team has itself a prosperous 2017-18 campaign. Becoming a Laker could still be in the cards, but for now, George says all the rumors concerning him donning purple and gold a year from now are a tad premature.

"I grew up a Lakers and a Clippers fan. I idolized Kobe (Bryant). There will always be a tie here, a connection here. People saying I want to come here (Los Angeles), who doesn’t want to play for their hometown? That’s a dream come true, if you’re a kid growing up on the outskirts of L.A., to be the man in your city. But it’s definitely been overstated," George told Sports Illustrated's Lee Jenkins.

"For me, it’s all about winning. I want to be in a good system, a good team. I want a shot to win it. I’m not a stats guy. I’m playing this game to win and build a legacy of winning. I’ve yet to do that. I’m searching for it. If we get a killer season in Oklahoma, we make the conference finals or upset the (Golden State) Warriors or do something crazy, I’d be dumb to want to leave that."

The Lakers, as currently constructed, are chock full of young, promising talent like Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle, and recent No. 2 overall pick Lonzo Ball, which the club is hoping could entice a big name or two to jump aboard in 2018 when the franchise has the financial resources to make such a splash. George is certainly aware of what's growing out in Los Angeles, but without an established support system that can help him win championships, there's far less incentive to make the move.

"It’s too early for L.A.," said George. "It would have to be a situation where the ball gets rolling and guys are hopping on. This guy commits, that guy commits. ‘Oh s---, now there’s a team forming.’ It has to be like that.

"I’m in OKC, so hopefully me and Russ do a good enough job and make it to the conference finals and love the situation, why not recruit someone to come build it with us? I’m open in this whole process."