The Rockets’ acquisition of Chris Paul is now official, but the team may not be done dealing yet. According to Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link), a source tells him that the Rockets “think they are getting” Paul George or Carmelo Anthony.
Houston has been mentioned several times as a possible landing spot for George, who has made it clear he wants to leave Indiana. However, it remains to be seen whether the Rockets have enough assets to outbid rival suitors for George. Houston parted with young players (Sam Dekker, Montrezl Harrell), affordable veterans (Lou Williams, Patrick Beverley), and their 2018 first-round pick in today’s Paul trade. That doesn’t leave a ton of trade chips to offer the Pacers — a team like the Celtics would certainly be able to outbid Houston if they go all-in for George.
Still, the Rockets have shown in the past that they’re willing to be aggressive in trade talks for stars, even without a long-term commitment from that player. And according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle, Houston would have “no qualms” about trading for George with one season left on his contract.
Although George’s preference is to sign with the Lakers in 2018, Sam Amick of USA Today writes that the Pacers forward “won’t close a window of opportunity.” According to Amick, if George were traded to the Cavaliers, he’d be open to the idea of re-signing with Cleveland in ’18 if LeBron James sticks around. If the Rockets were to acquire George, perhaps the team could pitch him on a multiyear run with Paul and James Harden.
As for Anthony, Ian Begley of ESPN.com notes (via Twitter) that Paul was telling people a few days ago he’d like to play with Carmelo. Anthony’s situation is up in the air, particularly with Phil Jackson no longer in the picture in New York, but sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (Twitter link) that if the Knicks do decide to part with the standout forward, they still intend to trade him rather than buy him out.
If the Rockets were to trade for George or Anthony, they’d have to send out a sizable contract in the deal. Ryan Anderson ($19,578,455 salary in 2017/18) is the most obvious trade candidate on the roster, but Indiana native Eric Gordon ($12,943,020 salary in ’17/18) could be an interesting option in talks with the Pacers.
Morey for Exec of the Year in 2018
Unless Ainge pulls off George and Hayward and keeps brown and Tatum
They still wouldn’t win the title. Salvaging the future when the window is closed with GS in the west
One injury for GS changes that outlook.
He hired DAntoni and still has the overrated Harden on his roster, so no.
You clearly haven’t watched the NBA for the past year haven’t you??? You probably think Kyrie is a Top 10 player smh
He is
Top 15 maybe but not top 10
They should work something out for PG13… He’d be a better fit I think in Houston
Melo has no trade value so thats the more resonable acquisition. They have nothing to offer for George that could top an offer from the other teams pursuing him
Houston would probably have to give up Clint Capella for Paul George. They don’t need good big men to beat the Warriors they could just sign a cheap center
Ryan Anderson, Clint Capella and a pick for Paul George
Hahahaha good joke
Probably would have to include Gordon
Indy is building around myles Turner, I doubt they want Capella. Face it Houston you don’t have enough for Paul George. Ryan Anderson, eric Gordon, ariza aren’t building blocks. You don’t have picks you can trade for years. So cavs/nuggets, lakers, if Boston will trade nets and/or 2018 lakers/ 2019 kings/76ers picks are all much more attractive offers.
Cavs have nothing to offer unless they
Give the pacers kyrie.
cavs are giving love to Denver cause they have younger pieces Indy would want. 3 team trade bud
Pacers don’t need a center.. they need every other position based on what Teague is saying though..
Unfortunately Celtics are the best trade partner.. of ainge doesn’t cheap out..
I also don’t think rockets can trade a pick because they just sent next years to the rockets..
they can’t trade a pick and danny will cheap out like usual.
As a lakers fan I would prefer this to the Celtics, he gets a run with an aging Houston team. Then he sets up free agency joining the lakers. Win/win
Tyler Johnson, Rodney McGruder, Wayne Ellington, and Josh McRoberts for Paul George
Only team that I think can/would offer more than that is Boston
I can’t see a way for Houston to get George, and I don’t see how they can get Melo without a buyout. Eric Gordon is definitely the start of a deal. Who else would go to Indiana? They don’t have anything else they can move. The only thing I could see is if they can move Ryan anderson somewhere and then get pieces that go back to Indiana…but those same teams could probably go for Kevin love instead, in that type of scenario, and they’re not doing that either
that’s a garbage package, Clarkson and Julius is better. Denver pieces are better
Denver wouldn’t risk PG leaving…I also dont think the Lakers package is better. Tyler Johnson is a way better defender than Clarkson, on the same contract. Randle makes no sense for the Pacers. McGruder gives them a combo guard/wing player they need that can defend relentlessly and shoot, and they have him for 2 more cheap years. Ellington’s good contract is non guaranteed, so they can keep him as a shooter or open up like 6.5 million in space by cutting him. They could also keep McRoberts as a backup 5, or stretch provision him to open up another 4 million. I originally had the 14th pick in there too, but after what Jimmy Butler went for….also, that pick ended up being a big, which I’m sure Indiana isn’t interested in adding to their other bigs.
Warriors need some real competition. I am certainly rooting for the Rockets to have great offseason. If somebody in the West can knock out GS, the East just may have a shot next year.
Carmelo to the Rockets and Hayward and George to Boston makes it a 4 team race if Boston doesn’t have to give up everything for George. Like keep Crowder or Bradley, and Smart or Rozier, and Tatum or Brown, and they’ll be a good team.
They could pull that off by adding picks
I wouldn’t trade for Eric Gordon unless he told you he wanted to play for you directly. He told the pelicans not to sign his suns offer sheet and that he didn’t want to play in NO, but they did it anyway and he barely tried for four years, some called it the worst contract in the NBA at times. Then he goes where he wants and gets 6th man.
Umm….he was injured a lot during that stretch of time……….
Eric Gordon was like that when he was drafted by Clippers…real disappointed look and he faked injuries until he left.
Melo got D’Antoni fired in NY so they don’t like each other much