Sources: No Tampering Found Between Lakers’ Brian Shaw, Paul George

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Paul George said Wednesday that the Indiana Pacers suspected his relationship with Los Angeles Lakers associate head coach Brian Shaw constituted tampering over the summer, but the NBA’s investigation found no evidence of tampering by Shaw, multiple sources told ESPN.

“They thought it was tampering,” George said after the Thunder shootaround before their game in Los Angeles (10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN). “There was no tampering at all. It was kind of crazy. Our relationship, myself and B-Shaw, was far more stronger than the team’s, me coming to the Lakers, was. B-Shaw has been a mentor for me, so it was kind of comical.

“The Pacers thought there was more depth, of him trying to recruit me. It wasn’t. The only thing me and B-Shaw ever spoke about was fishing. We challenge each other on fishing trips. B-Shaw has way, way better class than trying to recruit me.”

Shaw was the Pacers’ associate head coach early in George’s career, and the two developed a close relationship off the court that continued after Shaw left to coach the Denver Nuggets.

Source: Ramona Shelburne of ESPN