Before Paul George‘s camp informed the Pacers that George expects to opt out and leave Indiana next year, the team had been considering pursuing some notable free agents, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. On his latest podcast with Bobby Marks, Wojnarowski identifies point guard Jrue Holiday and forward Danilo Gallinari as a pair of veterans being eyed by the Pacers.
However, according to Wojnarowski, George didn’t want the Pacers to make major moves for his benefit this offseason, locking themselves into big free agent contracts in the hopes that he would be willing to re-sign. With George’s days in Indiana now numbered, the club will likely forgo its potential pursuit of free agents like Holiday and Gallinari.
Here are some more highlights from Wojnarowski’s conversation with Marks, which centered on George but touched on a few other topics as well:
- Although Larry Bird is no longer the Pacers‘ president, he’s still a consultant for the team, and he likely wants to avoid sending George to his old rivals in Los Angeles for pennies on the dollar, Wojnarowski observes. Still, Wojnarowski and Marks don’t expect George’s camp to help accommodate a trade to any team besides the Lakers, since the star forward may simply prefer to stay with the Pacers for one more season rather than being sent to a team he’ll likely leave in a year.
- The Lakers won’t offer Brandon Ingram or the No. 2 overall pick in a package for George, according to Wojnarowski, who predicts that L.A. wouldn’t offer the Pacers more than some combination of Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle, and the No. 28 pick.
- As the Lakers look ahead to the 2018 offseason, which could see them going after top free agents like George and LeBron James, they’ll want to clear Timofey Mozgov and Luol Deng from their books. However, Wojnarowski says the only way that will happen is if the club is willing to attach a first-round pick or a talented young player like D’Angelo Russell to one of those bad contracts. Using the stretch provision on the duo in the summer of 2018 probably makes more sense for L.A.
- In Wojnarowski’s view, the door was open for the Knicks to be in the Chris Paul discussion this summer, since there’s no perfect fit for CP3 if he wants to leave the Clippers. In theory, the Knicks could have been that fit, but with Phil Jackson and the triangle around, nobody is talking about wanting to play in New York, says Woj.
- Continuing his discussion of the Knicks, Wojnarowski suggests that Jackson’s treatment of Carmelo Anthony has soured many veterans on New York. In particular, Anthony’s friends like Paul, LeBron, and Dwyane Wade view Carmelo’s situation as a cautionary tale, and that view seems to be widely shared around the NBA.
Smh Phil costing us a shot at Paul. Imagine Paul Melo and Porzingis? That would have been a legit 3, but idk what to expect anymore. Ntikilina and Porzingis pick and roll could be legit, but i don’t want Melo to leave.
Knicks never had a realistic shot at CP3 anyway. Phil is a joke, but the Knicks were already a punchline before he got to town
You mean the Phil that coached teams to 11 NBA titles
Coached. Not GM’d.
Indiana actually had a semi decent plan lol
I think the Heat could be in play on PG. There is no way I’d move Winslow or Richardson in a deal for 1 year of Paul George. But, I would be willing to do Tyler Johnson, Rodney McGruder, Josh McRoberts, Wayne Ellington and the 14th pick (which would have to be a pick taken for Indiana and then traded) for Paul George, depending on my other options. if they think they will resign him. Teams with better assets could make offers obviously, but they might not be willing to give those up, thinking he could leave in a year. His value for 1 year should be a slightly decent amount more than 1.5 years for Cousins was. Indiana gets 2 young combo guards/wing that can play both sides of the ball relentlessly, and a back of the lottery pick right in front of their own. They get multiple shooters in the trade as well. At least keeps them competitive while rebuilding around Turner. The 1 year issue isn’t really a problem for the Heat b/c they’d have his bird rights, and would be able to pay him a full 5 year max, with no state income tax on 48 games during the season. They also have Pat Riley to build around him, and develop him into a leader. And finally, he has a kid here/is having a 2nd kid here, so he could be able to actually spend a lot more time with them.
Heat would also have enough space to keep Waiters, James Johnson, and pay Willie Reed or do something else, likely at the 5, if they wanted, as well as bring in someone at the room exception for 4.3 million, and probably a shooter or something at the minimum
Dragic, Richardson, Paul George, Winslow, Hassan Whiteside Dion Waiters, James Johnson, Willie Reed/5 as the first 8 guys of a rotation is pretty nice
It’s funny hearing about how the Knicks refusing to coddle Melo soured James when James is the cautionary tale. The idea that any team would trust a free agent to sign with them or trust a player with a no trade clause is gone forever because of Melo and Bron.
The simple fact that the Knicks are still trying to pry their agencies tentacles of their almost dead corpse is a chilling lesson to every owner.
The decision to pay Phil Jackson an exorbitant amount of money, with zero experience, or logical brain function in present times is definitely the cautionary tale
Your lesson for today is that the money Dolan paid Jackson means less to the knicks and the NBA than what teams hat you decide to buy.
As far as your qualifications to comment on Jackson’s credentials or brain power? You have none and no one thinks you do.
What? It’s not because Phil didn’t coddle Melo it’s because he treated him like ****.
Also what does LeBron have to do with anything???
Lol!!
Teams that think George would sign with them after 2018 are delousional. Mabey the Clippers just because they are in LA. Other than that if you trade for George you are going all in because he will be a Laker
Minnesota should go Miami Marlins style. All-in for a year to win it all.
Wolves get: Jimmy Butler, PG13, and Rondo
Bulls get: #6 overall 2017, Ricky Rubio, Pekovic use medical waive, Payne
Pacers get: Cole Aldrich and Kris Dunn
LaVine – keep or waive Rondo
Butler
Wiggins
PG13
Towns
For one year that’d be a sick starting 5 and it works money wise.
Bulls turned down the #1 pick for butler so dont think #6 and rubio will get it done
Well, you know you’re the joke of sports when on a basketball website, a sport that includes the Sacramento kings, you’re the verb to describe being a terrible organization…*sigh* life as a Marlins fan
Someone please tell me why everyone is in love with Ingram
so Magic should trade Randle and the 27fo PG13 andthen trade the 28 and Clarkson to the Knicks for Melo….
1 Ball…will never have to shoot that ugly J.
2 Ingraham
3 PG13
4 Melo
5 Lopez…