Paul George‘s exit from the LA Clippers has sparked mixed reactions. For some, it came as a shock, while others, including his former teammate Norman Powell, appeared relieved. Powell even called it “addition by subtraction.” Later, the man himself clarified that his comment wasn’t aimed at George but at the other players who would now have more opportunities following the 9-time All-Star’s departure. While the Clippers swingman managed to deflect the controversy last time, he recently made another bold statement that reflects on the locker room dynamics during George’s tenure with the team.

After James Harden, the 31-year-old also highlighted the great atmosphere in the Clippers. “I think this year we have guys who are really team-oriented and team-focused on both sides of the ball who are willing to learn, grow, and have the mentality of doing whatever it takes to win,” Powell told HoopsHype. “Everybody’s coachable and focused on the task at hand. There are no egos. I think the atmosphere has been a lot of fun. We’re playing pure basketball.”

Even though Powell denies his remark was aimed at George, it’s hard to believe him this time. The emphasis on this year’s team clearly speaks a lot about what the locker room environment used to be in the previous seasons when George was with the Clippers. Could it be an old beef that Powell keeps mentioning George, or perhaps rage over his departure from the team? Regardless, the Sixers’ star seemed to take the

“addition by subtraction” claim very calmly.

Paul George reacts to Powell’s comment

On Podcast P with Paul George, the host confessed that he hadn’t taken offense to the statement. “I didn’t take his comments as a diss, I didn’t take it as salty or negative, it’s the honest truth,” he stated. Instead, the 34-year-old commended Powell for his recent performance. “Me being gone gives him opportunities,” George added, “he’s balling his a** off, he looks great, he’s super efficient, they need him to do what he’s doing right now or they don’t have a chance.”

Powell has shown a notable improvement in his performance, rising from an average of 13.9 points per game last season to 23.9 points per game so far. The Clippers hold the 6th spot in the Western Conference with a 14-10 record without their main man Kawhi Leonard, while George’s 76ers are currently sitting at 14th in the East, with the former Clippers star contributing 15.9 points per game.

So, Powell’s statement about George’s departure pushing others to step up appears to be accurate. The real question now is whether George will still remain calm after sensing the subtle dig at him or will he finally break his silence on the matter. Maybe we can find out on the next episode of his podcast.