Paul George Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Eastern Notes: Wade, George, 76ers

August 15th, 2013 at 10:05pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Heat superstar Dwyane Wade, like teammate LeBron James, can potentially opt out next summer and become a free agent, but told reporters on Thursday that there really isn't much to make of it right now and made it clear about where he stood: "Everyone knows where I want to be…That's what it's all about to me, is making sure we focus on this season, winning this championship…I want to be in Miami and I have nothing else to talk about. So there won't be (any) exciting news over here" (Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel). Wade also touches upon his health and is excited about the addition of center Greg Oden. Here's more out of the Eastern Conference tonight:

Pacers' swingman Paul George is ready to lead Indiana as the team's "No. 1 guy" (Michael Pointer of the Indianapolis Star).
Despite the thought that the 76ers could trade Thaddeus Young, Evan Turner, or Spencer Hawes if the right deal presents itself, newly hired head coach Brett Brown raved about what each of them can bring to the court for him (Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer).
Knicks head coach Mike Woodson specifically mentioned Raymond Felton, Tyson Chandler, and Carmelo Anthony when asked about his starting five for next season, but was non-committal when asked if third-year guard Iman Shumpert would be included in that group at shooting guard, notes ESPN New York's Ian Begley. With that being said, Begley suggests that Woodson may look to continue starting Pablo Prigioni alongside Felton while sliding Shumpert to small forward and offers more thoughts on the rest of the team's rotation.
ESPN Boston's Chris Forsberg rounds up a few predictions from the Celtics blogging community on how the 2013-14 season will play out, and the majority appears to imagine a finish anywhere in or between the ninth and twelfth seeds in the Eastern Conference.
John Schuhmann of NBA.com thinks the Wizards are primed for a playoff run this year.

Paul George Hopes To Stay In Indiana

July 22nd, 2013 at 9:25pm CST by Zachary Links

Pacers guard Paul George is a native of Los Angeles and it's rare that a day goes by where he doesn't hear the pleas of Lakers fans for him to suit up in purple and gold in 2014. However, it doesn't sound like George is looking to leave the Pacers for L.A., or anywhere else for that matter, writes Marc Stein of ESPN.com.

"I'm happy, man. I'm happy in Indiana. It's overwhelming (to hear) that they would want a player like me to come play for their team. But right now I'm focused on Indiana. I'm happy to be in Indiana. Our future is bright in Indiana. I wouldn't want to leave something great," said the 23-year-old.

George confirmed after today's Team USA practice that he has already opened contract extension talks with the Pacers. While he isn't getting into specifics about the discussions, one source close to the process told Stein this week that a max extension with the Pacers, most likely before the Oct. 31 deadline for players from the 2010 draft class, is a "foregone conclusion."

The former 10th overall pick had a breakout season in 2012/13, averaging 17.4 PPG, 4.1 APG, 7.6 RPG, and 1.8 SPG. He stepped up even more for Indiana in the postseason where he helped them take the Heat to seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Paul George

Eastern Notes: Brown, George, Raptors, Blair

July 19th, 2013 at 1:14pm CST by Luke Adams

Although their pursuit of Bobby Brown is said to be gathering "momentum," the Knicks aren't the only team interested in the Euroleague star. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports tweets that Brown also has offers from Chinese teams, and is drawing interest from other NBA clubs as well. Here are a few more notes from around the Eastern Conference:

Appearing on 1070 The Fan, Pacers president Larry Bird said the team is prepared to make a "major offer" to Paul George this offseason to try to lock him up before he hits restricted free agency (hat tip to Pro Basketball Talk).
Doug Smith of the Toronto Star hears that the Raptors saved about $2MM in guaranteed money in their buyout agreement with Marcus Camby.
A report last weekend suggested that the Wizards are interested in DeJuan Blair, and Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv confirms (via Twitter) that the interest is mutual. Washington has already used its full mid-level and bi-annual exceptions, leaving only the minimum salary to offer, unless a sign-and-trade can be negotiated.
While Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio says Daniel Gibson is very unlikely to return to the Cavs, he names the Bucks and Pacers as potential suitors for the 27-year-old (Twitter link).

Odds & Ends: Evans, Lakers, Miller, Magic

July 18th, 2013 at 3:23pm CST by Luke Adams

Maurice Evans didn't latch on with an NBA team during the 2012/13 season, and hasn't appeared in an NBA game since he played for the Wizards in April 2012. Nonetheless, the veteran wing isn't about to call it a career just yet. Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com tweets that Evans hasn't retired, is healthy, and is talking to a few teams in Europe. It doesn't appear anything is finalized, though Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld tweets that Evans is "set to sign" with a club overseas. As we wait to see where the 34-year-old lands, let's round up a few more odds and ends from around the league:

The Lakers paid $500K to Jordan Farmar's former team in Turkey to buy him out of his contract, according to Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter).
Mike Miller calls a reunion with the Grizzlies a "definite possibility" if he clears waivers, tweets Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
After reaching deals with Ronnie Price and Jason Maxiell, the Magic are done with free agent signings for this offseason, says Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel (via Twitter).
Breaking down some comments made by Paul George on ESPN Radio, Matt Moore of CBSSports.com writes that the Pacers shouldn't have to worry about the Lakers making a play for George anytime soon, but that it may be an issue that resurfaces in a few years.
Bob Sansevere of the St. Paul Pioneer Press spoke to Timberwolves president Flip Saunders about how the roster is coming together, and his expectations for the coming season.

Poll: Will Paul George Win An MVP?

June 4th, 2013 at 7:08pm CST by Alex Lee

As we saw earlier today, Paul George is extension-eligible this offseason and sees himself as max contract type of player. After this postseason, George has catapulted himself into the discussion with the game's elite players. If his breakout regular season didn't ensure him of eventually landing a max deal, his playoff performance almost certainly did. At only 23-years-old, George is young enough and good enough on both ends of the floor to carry only a small amount of risk over the course of a big-dollar, long-term pact.

At this point, whether or not George deserves a max deal probably isn't the question. It is what he does once he gets it that will dictate how George compares to the NBA's best players. If his teammates' confidence in him is any indication, the former Fresno State Bulldog might be destined for huge things.

"He's the future. He has a chance to be MVP of this league next year," Roy Hibbert said last night before Game 7. A confident George agreed with him. "The more and more I get comfortable in this league and the more and more I find myself, I think I am capable of achieving that award," he said, eventually adding, "In my career, I wouldn’t be satisfied if I don't win the award."

Those are big words, especially considering that George scored only seven points last night in a game where he was primarily covered by the current MVP of the league, LeBron James. So what do you think… is Paul George good enough to win an MVP? Will he do it over the course of his career?

Pacers Rumors: West, Granger, George, Shaw

June 4th, 2013 at 9:59am CST by Luke Adams

After taking a 2-1 lead and eventually losing to the Heat in last season's Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Pacers made Miami sweat a little more in this year's Eastern Finals, forcing a Game Seven last night. The Heat won the game comfortably, but the Pacers still impressed in the series, and look like they'll be a perennial force in the East for the foreseeable future. With Indiana's 2012/13 season now in the books, here are a few of the morning's Pacers-related stories:

We've been hearing for months that David West would like to re-sign with the Pacers this offseason, and he strongly reiterated that point last night, speaking to the media. "These are my guys, I can't see myself going anywhere else," West said, according to Chris Mannix of SI.com. "We're the second best team in the Eastern Conference, one of the top four teams in the league this year. This group is a solid group. It gives me as an individual the best chance to accomplish the goals I have left [and] that's competing at this stage every single year from here on out."
Mannix speculates that the Pacers could shop Danny Granger and his expiring $14MM+ contract to create more room to re-sign West, noting that teams looking for a short-term wing solution and future flexibility would have interest in Granger, assuming he's healthy.
Sean Deveney of the Sporting News also addresses West's free agency, writing that teams like the Clippers and Hawks figure to pursue the veteran forward this summer.
Paul George has one more year remaining on his rookie contract, meaning he'll be extension-eligible this offseason. Asked by Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida if he sees himself as a maximum-salary player, he replied, "I would hope. Max guys get the job done at this time (the playoffs)."
In his NBA AM piece for HoopsWorld, Steve Kyler examines some offseason decisions facing the Pacers, including West's free agency, a possible extension for George, and the potential departure of assistant Brian Shaw. Kyler also notes that Granger's knee issues may scare off potential trade partners, meaning there's a very real chance the forward is still a Pacer in the fall.

Odds & Ends: NBPA, James, Datome, Love

April 25th, 2013 at 9:01pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports tweets that the U.S. Attorney's office has indicted Prim Capital for falsifying a document to defraud the NBPA of $3MM. Wojnarowski provided a link to the full press release earlier as well. Prim Capital, in which the son of former NBPA executive director Billy Hunter was vice president, previously had a consulting contract with the player's union that was later deemed fraudulent by the U.S. Attorney's office. Here are more of tonight's odds and ends:

Knicks guard Jason Kidd credits Kenyon Martin for "saving our season," writes Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York. It is difficult to imagine where New York would have been without Martin's contributions, especially as the team has dealt with plenty of injuries in their frontcourt.
Eric Koreen of the National Post outlines the top ten legacies that are on the line during the NBA playoffs.
Jon Humbert of KOMO tweets that the Longshore Union filed an appeal over the land use challenge for the Seattle arena. Last month, a report from The Seattle Times (via the Associated press) said that the Longshoremen have been in staunch opposition of an arena being built near the Seattle waterfront, due to the congestion of the area that would be caused by athletic events.
Mike James proved to be a viable pickup for the Mavericks this season, averaging 8.1 PPG and 4.2 APG while helping the team finish 15-8 over their final 23 games. Although James said recently that he'd like to play two more seasons with the Mavs, Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas discusses why the Amityville product doesn't figure to be in the team's long-term plans.
Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace is expected to travel to Rome next week to scout Gigi Datome, according to Sportando.net (hat tip to Il Corriere dello Sport).
Following up on a hypothetical trade proposed by Grantland's Bill
Simmons, Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com examines the possibility of
the Bulls trying to trade for Kevin Love, exploring whether a package of
Carlos Boozer, Jimmy Butler, the rights to Nikola Mirotic, and
Charlotte's first-round pick would be more than Chicago would be willing
to give up.
Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld looks at the evolution of Paul George into an All-Star and a leader in the Pacers locker room.

Central Links: George, Pacers, Bulls, Bucks

April 23rd, 2013 at 2:50pm CST by Luke Adams

As the Cavs work toward officially re-hiring Mike Brown as their new head coach, here are a few more Tuesday updates out of the Central Division:

Paul George was named the NBA's Most Improved Player of 2012/13 earlier today, and Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star tweets that a contract extension could be next for the 22-year-old. George will be entering the final year of his rookie deal this summer, making him extension-eligible, and Pacers owner Herb Simon "will be paying up," according to Wells.
David Morway, the former Pacers GM who played a crucial role in Indiana's rebuilding process, talked to Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld about the process of rebuilding an NBA franchise, suggesting that there isn't necessarily one specific way to approach the task.
As Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports writes in his latest column, two key contributors to the Bulls' Game Two win in Brooklyn last night, Tom Thibodeau and Nazr Mohammed, had been pursued by the Nets in the past.
Michael Hunt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel doesn't expect the draft, free agency, or a new coach to make a huge impact for the Bucks, and wonders if a new ownership group would provide the sort of shake-up the franchise needs.

Paul George Wins Most Improved Player

April 23rd, 2013 at 9:17am CST by Chuck Myron

TUESDAY, 9:17am: George has officially been named the NBA's Most Improved Player for 2012/13, according to a Pacers press release. Greivis Vasquez was the runner-up, while Larry Sanders, Nikola Vucevic, and Jrue Holiday rounded out the top five vote-getters.

MONDAY, 9:40pm: Paul George of the Pacers will be named the NBA's Most Improved Player, sources confirm to HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy (Twitter link). The Pacers called a "major" press conference for tomorrow, which initially led Kennedy and others to speculate that it is to announce that George has won the award.

George stepped into the shoes of the injured Danny Granger, the 2009 Most Improved Player who missed all but five games this year, and took over as Indiana's leading scorer this season. His points per game soared to 17.4 from 12.1 last season, and his rebounding and assist production also saw healthy jumps. Still, his shooting and three-point accuracy declined as the Pacers leaned more heavily on him, and his PER held nearly steady at 16.8, after he posted a 16.5 in that category in 2011/12.

George, in his third season out of Fresno State, also made his first All-Star Game this year, and was a part of Indiana's tough defense that gave up 90.7 PPG, second only to the Grizzlies. The 22-year-old opened up the postseason yesterday with a triple-double against the Hawks, though the votes were taken before the playoffs began. He'll be eligible for an extension to his rookie-scale contract this summer.

There are always plenty of candidates for the award, and this year was no exception. Larry Sanders, Greivis Vasquez, J.J. Hickson and Jrue Holiday all made intriguing cases, and we'll see just how close they came when the league reveals the voting.

Central Notes: George, Rose, Cavaliers

April 4th, 2013 at 7:31pm CST by Michael Pina

As the Bulls take the court in Brooklyn tonight, here's a quick look around the NBA's Central Division.

Pacers All-Star forward Paul George has been phenomenal on the defensive end all season long. Here he speaks with Indianapolis Star reporter Michael Pointer about how difficult it is to defend Thunder forward Kevin Durant, the game's premier scorer.
ESPNChicago.com's Nick Freidell gives the latest on whether Derrick Rose will return to action this season.
Bob Finnan, from The New-Herald, writes that Cavaliers forward Tristan Thompson still has support for the team's head coach, Byron Scott.