Merged: Who would you give up for Paul George?

its no different from how so many people convinced themselves we were trading for Boogie. He's the perfect fit for us, he'd really want to be here with Dame, and we have a better collection of assets to send... BOOM should be a done deal. Except when there is nothing to indicate any connection to the Blazers at all.

 

Of course I would want to gauge Paul's desire to go to LA. If he is adamant that is what he will do, then 'No'. If he is legitimately open to re-signing, the I do my best to make sure that happens. A year around Dame/CJ/Nurk and I think he would have a hard time leaving especially when we finish 25 games ahead of the Lakers.

 

Not necessarily trade fever. But if a guy of PG's talent is on the market and we actually have trade assets to go after him, we should be in the running. We won't ever land stars in the FA market so we have to at least try. The fear of him leaving could be real, but it could just as easily be smoke. And it's not like we're in NO's position with Boogie-- we actually have a decent team and a core PG could grow with.

 

The obvious answer to this thread is basically anything they want outside of Lillard/CJ/Nurk. We'd have the poor man's Golden State lineup.

Would Paul George take off after a year? Maybe. But you roll the dice and hope for the best. Aside from Aldridge, there really haven't been a lot of free agents Portland has seen just walk away for nothing when we wanted to keep them. Guys mostly want to stay when they get here.

If Nurk is healthy next year, with PG you'd probably make the WCF, and put up as good a fight against Golden State as anyone could hope to. Competitive-wise, the best you can do is the silver medal of being the second best team in the league, and we could potentially offer that.

I think George's strategy in announcing his inclinations to the world is to tank his trade value as much as possible, ensuring that he's not traded to an absolutely gutted team. (He doesn't want to be the next Carmello Anthony/New York.) It's actually pretty smart, really, if a little thankless to the Pacers.

 

Another factor that might take CLE out of the running for PG: http://basketball.realgm.com/wireta...avs-GM-Duties-Despite-Soon-To-Expire-Contract

Can't imagine Griffin really doing his due diligence to try to acquire George for a team that he might not be with in two weeks.

 

no one since its a pipe dream he's stay

 

I've skipped over most of this thread, but hadn't seen anybody mention this angle:

If PG does leave for LAL, would the Blazers Fan psyche be able to withstand the endless taunts from LAL and across the NBA? Having a guy you just traded for leave your team after a single season to go to your historic rival, which is likely 20 games worse, would be devastating for all the Blazers fans who still can't let go of Bowie.

Anyway - I'm up for trying to get him, but only if the price is right. Something like 15/26/Turner(or Crabbe) or 20/2018 Pick/Harkless.

 

Yup, those deals seem fair given the circumstances. Does Neil agree? Does KP not wanna do business with PA? We'll see....

 

I would probably give up my left nut or my life insurance

 

Here's what i read from Wojnarowski: "All-Star forward Paul George has informed the Indiana Pacers that he plans to become a free agent in the summer of 2018 and will leave the franchise – preferably for the Los Angeles Lakers, league sources told The Vertical." I have also read something that he wants it known other teams will be getting a one year rental. (I think that may only be supposition: "Sources: Indiana's Kevin Pritchard engaging teams on trading Paul George, but so far, not Lakers. There's a rental market, but how robust?" https://twitter.com/WojVerticalNBA/status/876519819394338816 …

 

Here is more from Wojnarowski, considered by most to be the guy with the most inside NBA knowledge:
Paul George wants to be Mr. L.A.
Paul George grew up in Northern Los Angeles watching Kobe Bryant and the Lakers (as well as the Clippers). There have been rumors for years that his one goal as a player is to go play in L.A. someday. Considering the Pacers' current situation and lack of direction there isn't really a better time for George to pull the plug and say it's time to do what he's always wanted to do -- go play for Los Angeles.

The signs have been there for a long time with George growing up idolizing Bryant as a player. He entered the NBA wearing number 24. One of the first coaches he ever worked with, Brian Shaw, used to tell him stories about Bryant. This is George's chance to be the next Kobe on a Lakers team that currently has a lot of young assets, but no stars. He can be the big man in Los Angeles like he's always wanted to be.

 

Then why spew this rhetoric about winning?

Being a Laker and winning are mutually exclusive.

 

We're talking Kevin Pritchard and Nate McMillan here though....

 

I guess it's an easier cop out than "I just want to be a laker."

 

I'd trade all 3 picks for Paul George, then trade him instantly to the Knicks for Porzingas...let them deal with Los Angeles....if he's a Kobe fan he's probably a Phil Jackson fan

 

And if he does re-sign next year in POR, that could potentially be 4 max/near-max contracts on the team with Nurk's extension coming up as well in 2018.

 

New word on the street is Blazers getting Kevin Love in a 3 team trade that lands PG-13 in Cleveland .