Sunday afternoon, the Indiana Pacers were hit with disappointing news, as star forward Paul George told the team that he will not re-sign with them in 2018 and prefers to go to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Although the Lakers have been mediocre the past three seasons, L.A. is George’s home. The Lakers will have the cap space next summer to consume George and possibly rebuild around him. For Los Angeles, they finally have a star player that wants to play for them, which may have major implications for the 2018 free agency.
Pacers attempting to trade George
In the wake of the news, the Pacers are moving fast. They are currently attempting to engage teams on trading for Paul George, talking to teams that would want a one-year rental. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, the Cleveland Cavaliers are willing to trade for George even if he doesn’t re-sign in 2018.
The two sides have held discussions, but it is unclear what the Cavaliers would offer for the four-time All-Star. However, since the Pacers have lost leverage after George’s announcement, the Cavaliers may not need to squander one of their big three. They can simply construct a package around Tristan Thompson.
What it will take for the Cavaliers to acquire Paul George
Outside of the big three, Thompson is the best trading chip for the Cavaliers. Although his contract is lucrative, Thompson is a young piece that has gained plenty of experience with the Cavaliers. Along with Thompson, the Cavaliers could also send young point guard Kay Felder, who didn’t receive much playing time in his rookie campaign but showed promise in limited minutes.
The Cavs may also need to send multiple picks to Indiana to iron out the deal.
Obviously, the Cavaliers would never give up one of their big three for a one-year rental, but they probably wouldn’t mind giving up a handful of draft picks, Felder, and possibly Thompson.
Another trade scenario could involve J.R. Smith, Channing Frye, Felder, and more draft picks.
However, it wouldn’t be ideal for the Pacers to receive aging veterans because they could probably find a better deal elsewhere.
Nonetheless, the Pacers want to work quickly, as they are aiming to find a deal for George before Thursday’s NBA draft. At this time, it has yet to be revealed which other teams the Pacers have held trade discussions with and what their asking price is.
Will the Pacers be able to find a temporary home for Paul George this offseason?