There is a slim chance the Indiana Pacers make Paul George available before the deadline, but that would not stop teams from offering enticing packages to acquire the All-Star forward's services.
The Pacers are far from the contenders they expect them to be this season, and may very well be out of the playoff picture if things do not pan out in Indiana. But what is more concerning is the end result of the Pacers' struggles this season, with speculations high on the uncertainty of Paul George's future with the team.
While the Pacers are likely inclined to keep George long-term, the team could otherwise explore trading the All-Star forward if the team continues to struggle. George has been the cornerstone of the Pacers' franchise since getting drafted by the team as 10th overall pick back in 2010. However, Indiana's disappointing displays may not help them at all in locking up George for another extension, according to Cameron Stewart of Hoops Habit.
"George will surely get a max deal, so salary will not be an issue. For surefire max players, their decision hinges largely on three things: basketball situation, location and how a new team could help them off the court. This doesn't bode well for the Pacers' hopes of retaining George," Stewart wrote.
ESPN's Marc Stein believe while the Pacers have yet to make George available, there are teams calling that are calling the Pacers for the services of the All-Star forward. Surely several teams would trip over offering deals to the Pacers if George's name appears on the trading block, but there could only be three teams that have legit chances of acquiring the 26-year-old.
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves are the youngest team in the league and may have one of the most talented collection of prospects. But realistically, it could take another two or three years for the T-Wolves before the likes of Karl Anthony-Towns, Andrew Wiggins and Zach Lavine turn into All-Stars and carry the team back to the postseason.
Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report has reported that Tom Thibodeau may deal one the Timberwolves' young talents for a veteran who could help the team win now. George could be a potential trade target for Minnesota at the price of Wiggins, Lavine and a future first-rounder.
Boston Celtics
It is no secret the Celtics are looking to further improve their lineup and speed up their process back to title contention. With Boston having plenty of tradable assets, including Brooklyn Nets' 2017 draft pick, the team is in position to facilitate a blockbuster deal. A trade package of the Nets' pick and two key players down the rotation should give the Celtics a chance to acquire George from the Pacers.
George would give the Celtics another proven talent to pair with Al Horford and Isaiah Thomas, creating a "Big Three" in Beantown. However, there is always a caveat of breaking the team's core when trading for a star, although it could be worth the risk for a premiere two-way player like George.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers are doing well this season under Luke Walton's helm, but they are still far from contending for a championship. Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report insisted that for the Lakers to become great again, it would require the presence of a young veteran like George.
"Assuming the Lakers don't fall back into the desperation-fueled trap of chasing stars and make a bad trade just to get a little better sooner-bear in mind executive vice president Jim Buss put his job on the line by promising contention by the end of this season-the Lakers will be good again. Maybe even great," Ding wrote.
"Yes, perhaps the latter will require something such as a Paul George signing in 2018 or Klay Thompson signing in 2019, but the Lakers have learned the hard way that free agents want to join something that has already been built to win."
The Lakers are probably the most intriguing trade partner for the Pacers if George becomes available. The Lakers also have a pack of talented youngsters in Brandon Ingram, D'Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle, whom LA could package for George, a California native who played college basketball at Fresno State and grew up idolizing Kobe Bryant.
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