Just a few days ago, Paul George told the Indiana Pacers that he plans to opt out of his contract next summer. George will become a free agent and according to reports, he would like to join the Los Angeles Lakers. The small forward has two more years left on his contract and he said he'll play for the Pacers next season. However, he has a player option on his contract for the last season and he made it clear he will not exercise it.
At the moment, it doesn't seem that George will stay in Indiana for another season. Even though he expressed his commitment to the team for the next season, the Pacers are actively shopping him and trying to get some valuable assets in return. They made it clear that Paul George is just a rental as it seems that he won't change his mind and will opt out of his contract next year, regardless of what team he is playing for.
Paul George plans to opt out next year
At the moment, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Cleveland Cavaliers have been linked to the Indiana Pacers superstar. George wants to play for the Lakers, but he'd rather sign with them next season.
However, the possibility of a trade is not excluded either as these two sides have mutual interest.
Magic Johnson, who is president of basketball operations for the Lakers, said he will wait for 2018 free agency and try to get a superstar to Los Angeles. He also hinted that he'd like to sign Paul George.
On the other side, the Cleveland Cavaliers could use George for their final push for another championship. Golden State Warriors beat them in only five games this year and it's obvious that the Cavaliers need more help to reclaim their title. However, trading for George means that Cleveland would have to give up on one of their superstars, most likely Kevin Love, and that might not be the price they are willing to pay.
Will some other team rent Paul George?
Indiana Pacers are looking to improve their roster by getting long-term players in return for George. This means that any team could make them an offer and they could accept it if they like it. At the moment, the Lakers and the Cavaliers have engaged in trade talks with them, but considering how good George is, there will be more teams who will try to get him.
George would be a great addition to the teams like the Miami Heat or the Los Angeles Clippers. However, not many teams are willing to part ways with their star players to get a superstar for only one year. It won't be surprising if the Pacers trade Paul George soon as he will be one of the top trade targets this offseason.