The Paul George sweepstakes have been the talk of the offseason so far. Exactly a week ago, the superstar forward told the Indiana Pacers that he plans to leave the franchise in the summer of 2018 to join the Los Angeles Lakers, which has sparked trade rumors.
The Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves, Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, and Cleveland Cavaliers have all shown major interest in George, even though he might be a one-year rental. Since the Pacers have lost their leverage, most teams are attempting to lowball them by not giving up too much.
The Celtics held serious discussions with the Pacers during draft night but failed to reach an agreement on a deal.
Three-way deal for George being discussed
Now, the Cavaliers are back into the mix for George. Yesterday, Stephen A. Smith reported that there was apparently a five-team mega deal that would've sent George and Carmelo Anthony to Cleveland but the trade fell through because no one wanted Kevin Love. Today, ESPN’s Marc Stein is reporting that the Cavaliers have discussed a three-team trade with the Pacers and Denver Nuggets to acquire George and Kenneth Faried -- while sending Love to Denver.
It’s unclear what the Pacers would receive in the deal, but it would most likely be a couple of young assets from Denver and veteran players from Cleveland.
The Nuggets may send Emmanuel Mudiay and a draft pick, while the Cavaliers may send the likes of J.R. Smith or Iman Shumpert -- along with draft picks.
What this trade would mean for each team
For the Pacers, they are obviously headed for a rebuilding process around cornerstone player Myles Turner. The Pacers also drafted T.J.
Leaf from UCLA, who could also be a part of their immediate future.
Cleveland’s evident goal is to reach the NBA Finals again with a new-look squad featuring George, LeBron James, and Kyrie Irving as the team’s big three. The Cavaliers sense that George’s ability to play on both ends would give them an advantage against the Golden State Warriors.
However, it might have to be championship or bust for the Cavaliers since George and James could both leave in 2018 if they don’t win.
The Nuggets have been trying to unload Faried’s contract for quite some time, and would finally be able to accomplish that goal while receiving a star player in return. They would also get rid of Mudiay, who they see as a disappointment since he hasn’t met expectations.
In the long run, the Cavaliers may try to acquire Anthony as well if they are able to obtain George. However, Anthony would have to secure a buyout from the New York Knicks first before signing with Cleveland.
