It has finally happened! Paul George was just traded to the Oklahoma City and he will play for them next season. George has two more years left on his contract and has made it known that he will opt out of his final year, so this will most likely just be a rental. However, the former Indiana Pacers superstar might change his mind and decide to stay in Oklahoma City for an extra year.
This move isn't shocking for the Pacers and their fans as George implied that he will be leaving the team. The Pacers used his value to get a few players in return, rather than just letting him walk away for nothing next summer.
Just like the Chicago Bulls, who traded Jimmy Butler, it seems that the Pacers will rebuild next season and possibly tank for a high draft pick next year.
Paul George to the Thunder - Trade Details
In order to acquire Paul George, the Thunder will send Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis to the Indiana Pacers. Oladipo is a 25-year old shooting guard while Sabonis just finished his rookie season in the NBA.
This seems like a trade that benefits both sides as the Thunder got a superstar while the Pacers got two great young players they can use to rebuild their roster. On the other side, it will be interesting to see how far the Thunder can go with Russell Westbrook and Paul George.
Paul George's career before the trade
Paul George was the 10th overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft and was selected by the Indiana Pacers. Before the trade, the small forward spent seven years in Indiana, being one of the best players in the league at his position. George's best season was 2016/17 when he averaged career-high 23.7 points per game, along with 6.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists.
In his seven-year career with the Pacers, George averaged 18.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. He appeared in 448 games and started in 400 of them. The superstar forward made a big comeback after suffering a horrible leg injury in 2014 during the Team USA showcase game. When he fully recovered, George averaged 23.4 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game in two seasons.
While everyone though that he'd never be the same player again, George proved them wrong and he became better than ever.
George's biggest playoff success was reaching conference finals twice in a row. Both times, the Pacers faced off against the Miami Heat, but unfortunately couldn't advance to the final round of the postseason. In 2013, it took the Heat, who went on to win a championship, seven games to eliminate Paul George and the Pacers.
