Paul George privately decided to return to the Oklahoma City Thunder several weeks before free agency began. After telling the Indiana Pacers he planned on signing with the Los Angeles Lakers at the end of the 16-17 season, George never even met with the Lakers.

"It was absolutely tempting," George said. "Honestly, I wanted to come back home. But again, I got traded to Oklahoma. Loved the situation. Loved where I was at. I decided to stick around a little longer. ...

"I just wanted my free agency to be over with. In my heart, I felt great about Oklahoma and I wasn't going to prolong it if I felt good about it already."

George said he "felt most comfortable" with the Thunder.

"I felt when it came down to it and all the factors that played into it, deep down there was a nasty taste where we finished," George said. "I just felt I had more to offer. I had more to give. I just felt about where we were as a whole.

"I honestly went through the process and doing pros and cons throughout the whole [season]. I wouldn't say the whole [season] was a recruiting process. I was just trying to find the highs and lows and the good and bad. Ultimately, I just felt this was the road for me to win."