In a piece for ESPN.com earlier today, Zach Lowe noted that the Pacers engaged in Paul George trade talks with the Celtics, Hawks, Nuggets, and Sixers at last month’s trade deadline. Boston’s interest in George was well documented, and we heard right after the deadline that Atlanta and Denver made substantial offers for the star forward. However, specific details regarding Philadelphia’s interest in George hadn’t surfaced until now.
Following up on Lowe’s report, Kyle Neubeck of Liberty Ballers did some digging on those pre-deadline trade talks, and learned from multiple sources that the Sixers made a “significant” offer of their own for George. According to Neubeck, the Sixers were willing to give up Robert Covington, at least two first-round picks, and the Pacers’ choice of Nerlens Noel or Jahlil Okafor. The Sixers reportedly preferred to include other teams’ picks – such as the Lakers’ and Kings’ first-rounders – rather than their own.
Neubeck adds that there wasn’t a consensus among his sources about the Noel/Okafor aspect of the 76ers’ hypothetical package. One source said that the team specifically offered Noel, while others suggested that Philadelphia would have been willing to sub in Okafor if it made a real difference to the Pacers. Ultimately, Noel was sent to the Mavericks instead, while Okafor stayed put.
According to one member of the Sixers, the team wasn’t turned off by George’s reported interest in the Lakers. Neubeck writes that the Sixers believed that if they acquired George they could convince him to stay in Philadelphia long-term, forming a tantalizing core with players like Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Dario Saric.
As Lowe wrote earlier today, the Pacers never appeared all that serious about moving George at this year’s trade deadline, but it’s possible that stance will change down the road. Even with Noel no longer in the mix, the Sixers still have plenty of assets to make another run at All-Star forward, if they so choose.
This wouldn’t deplete the team either, satisfying PG13 stance on a trade from the Pacers. Get it done!
The Sixers must be really sold on Simmons at the point. Otherwise adding George to a core that already includes Simmons and Saric seems a little odd to me,
Or using George like D’antoni does with Harden in Houston.
How is adding PG13 odd when he plays SF/SG & Saric is a PF & Simmons is a SF/PF/PG if you can get a talent him PG you get it done & figure out positions later.
PG13 plays the 3 or the 4. He never plays SG
PG hates playing the 4 (even though he should more often to play small-ball lineups). But he’s a more natural wing player (the 2 or 3) than trying to stick him at the 4.
Maybe a better choice of wording is that it would create an unusual lineup. Even if Paul is comfortable at the shooting guard (and seriously, is he?), that puts Simmons and Saric at the forward slots, and with Embiid at center, that’s four players at 6’9″ or above. That isn’t a common modern era lineup.
If Bird didn’t accept that trade you have to wonder if they need to move on from him.
Lakers unprotected, Kings unprotected, a cheap glue-man like Covington, and the choice between Noel/Okafor. For a guy with 2 years left on his deal, with obvious desires to play in LA? I’m actually a little thankful that the Sixers didn’t land him. Wouldn’t deplete them, but I’d want more than 2 years of PG13.
The Lakers unprotected pick’s value is so shaky. If it was this years, it would be a huge piece that I would love to have but the Sixers aren’t even guaranteed to get that pick. Next year’s pick could be anywhere in the lottery and the draft is not nearly as deep as this year. In regards to Okafor, he’s not nearly as valuable as Philly fans make him out to be. He’s an old-school big who can’t defend and needs to play the 5 to succeed (which would mean moving Turner to the 4 who hasn’t shown enough consistency from range to be moved there). Noel has little value too (evident by the haul the Sixers got for him) because he requires a fat contract at the end of the year and he’s purely an athletic big who doesn’t add much on offense. In a league that is placing a greater emphasis on spacing the floor, Okafor/Noel would fit terribly next to Turner.
As a Pacers fan, I am worried that PG will just walk for nothing, but they shouldn’t make a deal just for the sake of trying to get something for him. PG is still a top 5 two-way player in the league who can really light it up if he can get hot (evident by the fact that he almost singlehandedly won that playoff series against the Raptors last season). I don’t expect some crazy haul for him, but that trade has too much uncertainty (Lakers pick) and poor fits (Noel/Okafor with Turner) to be a good trade. The Pacers need to come out of a PG trade as clear winners. I’d rather Larry Bird call up Danny Ainge and ask for Smart, another role player (Olynyk, Rozier, one of the draft-and-stash guys, or in a pipe dream Jae Crowder), one of the Nets’ picks, and another future first.
I think it’s almost certain that he walks. And then you’re going to be in a situation like the Sixers – Noel was just going to walk anyway and they made whatever deal was available. The only benefit is if they do deal him, he is that top level player so they’ll likely get something of actual value back. But it won’t be anything like the package they’d get today from the Sixers or even the Celtics.