Paul George trade: Cavs, Nuggets, Pacers talking three-team trade
The Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers and Denver Nuggets have discussed a three-team trade ahead of Thursday's NBA Draft, which involved All-Stars Kevin Love and Paul George, according to several reports. In the proposed trade, Love would have ended up in Denver, George in Cleveland and a package of young players and draft picks to Pacers, who are looking to rebuild the team in the aftermath of their star's inevitable exit.
The Pacers lost leverage in a potential Paul George trade after the All-Star forward revealed his intentions to test free agency next summer. And since George is widely expected to join hometown franchise, the Los Angeles Lakers, other suitors are hesitant to part with valuable assets for a one-year "rental."
Despite the risk of losing George in a year, several teams, including the Houston Rockets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs were aggressive in their pursuit of George ahead of Thursday’s NBA Draft. Even the Lakers, instead of potentially nabbing George in free agency next July, have been persistent in their efforts to pull off a trade.
Paul George trade: Three-team deal could not be executed
According to ESPN, the Nuggets lost interest in acquiring Kevin Love and it proved to be the primary reason for the trade not going through. Love has three years left on the five-year, US$113 million (AU$149 million) contract he signed with the Cavaliers in the summer of 2015.
"The three teams could not agree to a final trade construction in time to complete a deal on draft night Thursday, but sources say the Cavaliers won't abandon their trade pursuit of George, believing that acquiring the 27-year-old and George's potentially winning a championship next season alongside LeBron James is the one scenario that could convince the two-way menace to abandon his well-chronicled desire to join the Los Angeles Lakers as soon as possible."
The report added that "both the Rockets and Lakers remain determined to keep pushing for their George deals." The Celtics, meanwhile, are hoping to land Utah star Gordon Hayward via free agency before re-visiting Paul George trade talks. There has been some chatter of George agreeing to an extend-and-trade deal which would give the Celtics more cap flexibility to sign free agents in the coming years.
At the end of the eventful draft, Pacers president Kevin Pritchard said his team considered a plethora of offers for a Paul George trade but couldn't pull off a deal. "Everybody thought today was a trigger date because drafts picks were involved, but that doesn't mean you can't do things into the future: future draft picks, players today, young players, older established players. We're keeping everything on the board."
George averaged 23.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists in his seventh season for the Indiana Pacers. The two-way wing was drafted 10th overall by the Pacers in 2010. He led the Pacers to two Eastern Conference finals appearances besides making three All-NBA and All-Defensive Teams. Stay tuned for the latest rumblings on a potential Paul George to Lakers trade, Lakers trade news and updates from the NBA offseason.
