NBA Trade Rumors: 5 most likely landing spots for Paul George
It seems inevitable that Paul George will be traded before the 2017 NBA Draft. Which teams are mostly likely to make a deal for the Indiana Pacers’ All-Star forward?
At this moment, all signs point to Paul George being traded in the very near future. After informing the Indiana Pacers he wouldn’t re-sign, the franchise essentially set out to find the best deal possible. That means a trade could be coming soon, likely before Thursday’s 2017 NBA Draft.
There’s just one problem. It’s believed George will sign with the Los Angeles Lakers when he hits the open market in 2018. If that’s the case, trading for him means he’d be nothing more than a one-year rental. That’s essentially limited the list of potential suitors to contenders who need that one final piece to give them a shot at the Larry O’Brien trophy.
Some teams may be hoping they can coax George into re-signing by showing him what it’s like to play for a contender. It may be more appealing for him to stay with a team capable of winning more than 40 games, especially with the Lakers still in the middle of a rebuild.
In the end, though, it seems as if PG-13 joining the Lakers is a done deal. So again, we go back to trying to figure out who’s willing to send Indiana significant assets for one year with George on the roster. It’s a risky move to make, but one that could yield significant results. It may even be enough to overcome the Golden State Warriors for a ring.
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With that in mind, let’s take a look at the five most likely landing spots for George. With a deal likely to be agreed upon in the very near future, you’ll want to be aware of all of the potential players in this bidding war.