Paul George throws major shade at Eastern Conference team

For years, the Charlotte Hornets have been either at the bottom of the Eastern Conference or pretty close to it.

They've put together a promising roster full of young potential stars, but have yet to take a leap.

According to Paul George, that's not a coincidence but a part of their identity. That's why he recently claimed that he would never sign with them.

"If I'm in free agency, I’m not picking Charlotte just because there’s no winning culture there alone," George said in his podcast. 

George then clarified that he had nothing against the city, but from a basketball standpoint, that's where players' careers go to die.

"Regardless, Charlotte's an amazing city, would love to play for it because of the city. I can see myself living there, but in terms of a basketball standpoint, I'm not. My career is over with if I go there," he continued.

Ironically, the Philadelphia 76ers only won five more games than the Hornets last season, so perhaps the timing of George's comments could've been a little better.

Also, he only played in 41 of 82 possible games, averaging a disappointing 16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game on 43 percent shooting.

Unlike the Hornets, the Sixers entered last season with legitimate championship aspirations, and they ended up being one of the most disappointing teams in the league.

Also, the Sixers haven't been to the NBA Finals in 25 years, and if George and Joel Embiid can't stay on the court, that's not likely to change next season.