Paul George trade rumors: 5 teams that should deal for Pacers’ star

2. Boston Celtics

After trading the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft to move down to No. 3 and acquire another future first-rounder, the Boston Celtics are expected to make moves this summer and turn all those assets into a blockbuster acquisition (or two).

Though they earned the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference this year, Boston was served a painful reminder of how far it is from truly surpassing King James, being ousted from the conference finals in five quick games. A trade for Paul George helps close the gap.

In terms of what they’d have to give up, a number of picks could be on the table, since the Celtics have the No. 3 pick this year, all of their own picks moving forward and the following first-rounders tucked away in their back pocket:

• 2018 Brooklyn Nets first round pick
• 2018 Los Angeles Lakers first round pick (if it falls 2-5)
• 2019 Sacramento Kings first round pick (if the Lakers pick doesn’t convey)
• 2019 Los Angeles Clippers first round pick (top-14 protected)
• 2019 Memphis Grizzlies first round pick

This year’s No. 3 pick and the Brooklyn pick are probably too valuable to offer when everyone knows how desperate the Pacers are right now, and Boston’s own first-rounders don’t project to be valuable enough as the team stays on the path to contention.

Two of those other three draft assets should be on the table, however.

To match salaries, a deal would probably start and end with Jae Crowder. Tyler Zeller‘s non-guaranteed $8 million salary might need to be included, along with a young throw-in like Terry Rozier.

After trading out of the No. 1 pick and passing up the chance to draft Markelle Fultz, it’d be very odd if Danny Ainge wasn’t actively seeking out a superstar trade. That move signals the team wants to contend now, rather than wait out the Warriors and Cavs dynasties with Fultz, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and all those picks in tow.

Maybe the Celtics just weren’t sold on Fultz, but that would make them the exception around the league. A trade for PG-13 wouldn’t cost Boston an intrinsic part of its rotation aside from Crowder, who would be replaced by an All-Star two-way wing anyway.

Sure, it’d cost a potentially valuable pick or two, but the Celtics would still have plenty more to fall back on and the offers to Indy might not be pouring in. Whatever Boston offers might trump the draft compensation that’s on the table from other George suitors around the league.

George would take the pressure of Isaiah Thomas to score all the time and he’d provide the Celtics with one of about four players in the NBA who can relatively hold their own against LeBron James in a playoff series.

Is that enough to get Boston past the Cavaliers in the East? Maybe, maybe not. But a deal like this would also open up the possibility of signing another marquee player like Gordon Hayward or Blake Griffin in free agency, which would definitely turn the Celtics into a powerhouse.

The question the Celtics will face if they traded for George, especially if they failed to land someone like Hayward or Griffin afterward, is whether the team could take down LeBron in its first year together…and whether the culture would be enough to convince him to spurn Boston’s greatest nemesis if the Celtics fell short.

Sacrificing Crowder and those future first-rounders (and, by extension, this year’s No. 1 pick) would be a lot for a one-year rental, but Ainge has been posturing his team for years waiting for an opportunity like this. Plus, George’s asking price is significantly lower than Jimmy Butler‘s right now.

As for the Pacers, the Celtics have the most to offer in terms of rebuilding through youth around Myles Turner. Two future firsts — even without the Nets pick or this year’s No. 3 selection — is a great haul considering the circumstances, especially with Crowder’s 3-and-D skill-set and Rozier’s potential thrown in.