The Pacers are gauging the trade market for Paul George and assessing their All-Star forward’s value, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical.
According to Wojnarowski, Indiana has engaged with teams on “parallel fronts” this week. As we heard last Friday, the Pacers are exploring ways to upgrade their current roster, dangling their 2017 first-round pick and looking to convince George to eventually re-sign. However, Wojnarowski says that the team has also considered the possibility of moving George and rebuilding around young center Myles Turner. The franchise will make a decision on which path to take by Thursday afternoon.
As Wojnarowski writes, there’s no urgency for the Pacers to move George at this time, since he remains under contract through the 2017/18 season. Pacers sources have told Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders that George isn’t available, and I expect it would take a massive offer for Indiana to change its stance on the 26-year-old.
Still, for the Pacers, keeping George isn’t without its risks. The Celtics, who have been linked to George and Jimmy Butler, are widely viewed as having the strongest trade assets for a potential blockbuster, so if Boston makes a serious play for Butler this week, that could potentially take a tantalizing package off the table for Indiana.
Additionally, according to Wojnarowski, George is considering re-signing with the Pacers in 2018, but has also mulled the possibility of joining his hometown Lakers. Indiana – or any team that trades for George – could run the risk of losing the star forward to L.A. next summer.
I don’t know, maybe it’s just me but I cringe every time I hear that a player might join the Lakers in free agency. I’m a life long Lakers fan and I feel like it’s bad luck to even mention a player possibly coming to the Lakers because we’ve struck out so much lately.
Ya he wont be signing there.
Don’t worry about George he will be traded to the Knicks for Rose. Lol
Lakers should make a move on him now. Instead of gambling on their rookies, package Ingram and Randle or Russell, and go into 2017 Draft and Free Agency with Paul George and Magic Johnson as the foundation.
They wouldn’t want Paul George this year because he is too talented. They are tanking to try to keep their top 3 protected pick and Paul George would win them too many games
They’d probably have to trade that pick in the deal
Paul George to the Celtics!!! LETS GO!!!!
as a pacers fan, I hope he is traded to the Celtics. Pacers aren’t ready to win. might as well get something for him before he leaves
I think whether or not he leaves in free agency depends on if he qualifies for the “mega-max”. He needs to make an All-NBA Team either this year or next to qualify. If he qualifies, I don’t envision him walking away from that kind of money.
I wonder if this is just Larry Bird doing his boy Dany Ainge a solid and putting some pressure on the Bulls to pull the trigger on a Butler deal now before that package goes to the Pacers for George instead, without having any real interest in actually trading George
Yeah my thought exactly
From what we’re hearing in Boston, the only way Danny would trade the Brooklyn pick is in a deal for Paul George. He doesn’t want to send it to Chicago in a deal for Butler. Plus the Bulls want Jar Crowder and Danny doesn’t want to give him up either. I think the only blockbuster trade that MIGHT actually happen would be the Celtics sending that pick along with a small package of players for Paul George.
*Jae Crowder
Yeah, cause the Pacers definitely want to trade George for a small package of players.
Will it would be pick based. Nets pick, 1-2 other firsts, couple 2nds, Bradley, and match salaries. Amir or Jerebko and Olynyk probably. Throw in Young, Mickey, or Jackson if the Pacers see anything in them.
When I say “small package” I mean like Avery Bradley, Amir Johnson, and probably Jae Crowder, plus at least the Nets 1st round pick that we have.
The Celtics would be better off getting Butler because either way you are giving Crowder and the Nets pick
This would be the year for anyone to trade a Superstar. The Celtics have a mass of potential stars, and that includes the players they would take with the#1 pick. It makes sense for the Pacers to try and make moves, try to trade George. They should ask for the 2017 Nets pick, Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder. That leaves the PG spot open (assuming they don’t sign Teague back) for the draft. Ball maybe goes one, and he looks like an elite PG or SG. The Pacers should go for it
Also, the could make the Celtics take on Thaddeus Young or Monte Ellis’s contracts
I actually love that trade
I don’t see them giving up Crowder and Bradley.
Why not? They’ve already replaced Bradleys minutes with Smart/Brown, and George replaces Crowder in this scenario
But then they still have to make another trade. They’ve been looking at wing depth like Tucker, Gallinari, Chandler, etc. Giving up only one solves that issue.
Chicago and Indy aren’t going to give up Butler/PG for one of Crowder/Bradley and hope a lesser player is enough to replace them. Bradley is easier to take out, but he’d need to be replaced by a non-Celtics first round pick (likely a player and another first rounder).
Which is what I’d recommend they do, but throw in an overseas guy to keep Crowder instead.
Marcus Smart play is a perfect complement to Isaiah’s from the 2-guard, and he can guard any position on the floor. He and George would make an elite defensive wing pair, and Brown is off the bench who they think is elite too. I think they’d give up Bradley in a trade for a star, but they only way they give up Crowder is if he’s replaced or upgraded. George does that
I don’t know why people and the Celtics are so concern in not giving up Crowder in a Butler trade, I would do the deal and sign Hayward in the summer to play SF. I rather have Hayward than Crowder to be honest.
Over course everyone would have Hayward than Crowder. Crowder comes cheaper though and is fine with a secondary role. If their contracts were the same, Hayward is the obvious choice. Hayward is going to get a near max deal and Crowder makes like $7 million a year.
Sixers could easily pry him away with all their assets.