Woj: Paul George tells Pacers he wants to leave in 2018 FA, prefers Lakers

[Pacerlive]

If Pacers end up with any combo of Denver assets that does not atleast include Harris, Murray or multiple future 1sts, its going to be worse than the Lakers offer.

That may be but at some point crap is crap and you don't worry about the color or quality. I think Pritchard and the Pacer organization is pretty pissed at LA and PG for that matter. So if they take it on the chin a little to not give LA the satisfaction, won't be surprised.

You are saying they will take the worse offer to spite George and LA? Pretty poorly ran organization if that is true. Reggie took you guys to the promised land, George won't be able to, not in this super team era. I'm not too sure why you guys are so latched on to George. Faster you get rid of him the faster you can find another Paul George in the draft to pair with Turner. Randle and Clarkson will add depth, and Randle can obviously be an All star still. But you guys are going to need lottery picks. You have to rebuild. There is no other option to get better especially for a small market team. Getting Kevin Love is actually worse for your team, all he will do is keep you out of the top lottery picks.

When Kobe left we eventually got Ingram and Ball, we had to suck for a few seasons to get in this position. That is what Pacers have to do, it is unavoidable.

At some point Pritchard will face the music. His moves are very limited. Lakers offered just enough so that other teams, knowing Paul George is a rental, can't make a trade without adding desirable assets they wouldn't be willing to part with.

I mean no offense to this but you are speaking as a large market fan. The Pacers can't go into a 20 win team mode for more than one year and still turn a profit which is why Simon who is the owner of the Pacers always tries to flip a rebuild very fast to keep fans interested in the product. Its a blessing and a curse and an argument that Pacer fans know too well since many think like you on staying in the lottery for multiple years.

One thing is sure though and that is Simon will want to flip a rebuild fast and only have one bad year. I agree with you on Klove though and I believe Pritchard does too. He wants picks and a solid piece that doesn't have to be a all star so that is probably Boston but certainly LA is in the mix.

[Pacerlive]

Boston gets Hayward, it would be smart to package some of their wings for another big man. Their biggest achilles heel is rebounding.

IF Boston gets Heyward and PG then basically you can count on them getting a season vet for cheap just like the GSW did with Zaza and the Cavs tried to do with Bogut.

[Michael Lucky]

You are saying they will take the worse offer to spite George and LA? Pretty poorly ran organization if that is true. Reggie took you guys to the promised land, George won't be able to, not in this super team era. I'm not too sure why you guys are so latched on to George. Faster you get rid of him the faster you can find another Paul George in the draft to pair with Turner. Randle and Clarkson will add depth, and Randle can obviously be an All star still. But you guys are going to need lottery picks. You have to rebuild. There is no other option to get better especially for a small market team. Getting Kevin Love is actually worse for your team, all he will do is keep you out of the top lottery picks.

When Kobe left we eventually got Ingram and Ball, we had to suck for a few seasons to get in this position. That is what Pacers have to do, it is unavoidable.

At some point Pritchard will face the music. His moves are very limited. Lakers offered just enough so that other teams, knowing Paul George is a rental, can't make a trade without adding desirable assets they wouldn't be willing to part with.

The Pacers are not trying to hold on to George. KP said they already have a few deals in place that he can pull the trigger on whenever he wants. He just wants to see what happens in FA. A team may strike out on the players they want and turn to George as the next option and offer a better deal.

He is using patience, which is smart. Panicking and taking the first **** offer you get would be the mark of a pretty poor run organization. Not one looking for the best deal.

Yeap, just because George wants out doesn't mean Indiana has to trade him right at this specific moment. Waiting to see what happens in FA could lead to avenues opening up that weren't available for them.

At the same time, it's hard to know what's smokescreen and what's not. Everyone is using the media to either create activity or pressure.

Actually waiting until FA closes would lower opportunities. Teams are setting their rosters down and it isn't like you can trade players you've just signed.

[Michael Lucky]

Boston gets Hayward, it would be smart to package some of their wings for another big man. Their biggest achilles heel is rebounding.

IF Boston gets Heyward and PG then basically you can count on them getting a season vet for cheap just like the GSW did with Zaza and the Cavs tried to do with Bogut.

I cannot help but wonder how Hayward and George would fit on a team. They are exactly the same player.

[jigga_man]

Boston gets Hayward, it would be smart to package some of their wings for another big man. Their biggest achilles heel is rebounding.

IF Boston gets Heyward and PG then basically you can count on them getting a season vet for cheap just like the GSW did with Zaza and the Cavs tried to do with Bogut.

Depends on what vet they get, that's probably the best course of action for them. But Ainge seems adverse to trading his assets, even for a guy like Butler who is on a longer contract. It's going to take Tatum/Brown + and one of LAL/SAC/BRK picks. I don't think Ainge would do that even with a commitment from George.

[Jon Snow]

I think Pritchard will play his cards and will wait to see what happens in the 1st week of July. He might try to recruit players in Indiana first, get some quality players and that's the time he'll pull the trigger. I still think PG will end up in LA.

[Kilroy]

If he can't find a deal in the next few weeks before training camps start, he'll probably wait until the trade deadline and see if there's a borderline playoff team looking to over-pay for someone to put them over the hump.

[Pacerlive]

Boston gets Hayward, it would be smart to package some of their wings for another big man. Their biggest achilles heel is rebounding.

IF Boston gets Heyward and PG then basically you can count on them getting a season vet for cheap just like the GSW did with Zaza and the Cavs tried to do with Bogut.

I cannot help but wonder how Hayward and George would fit on a team. They are exactly the same player.

I don't consider them the same player. They have similarities but overall PG is better and has more playoff experience where he actually played extremely well.

As for fit well PG has played sg before. The Pacers sort of had to do that in 2011-2012 season with Danny Granger and PG so he can certainly play that position.

[Slava]

Its the second part.

I don't think Pritchard cares one way or another what happens to PG after he trades him. His only goal is to get the best deal possible for him. The Lakers are not offering that. Its not some massive conspiracy where Pritchard is hell bent on making sure PG doesn't join the Lakers...he just doesn't want to accept their bad offer.

If Pacers end up with any combo of Denver assets that does not atleast include Harris, Murray or multiple future 1sts, its going to be worse than the Lakers offer.

I disagree.

Randle is a player I actually like, but we all know someone is going to throw the bank at him next year. As good as he may be, he will not be worth the contract he gets.

Doesn't sound like the Denver deal is going to happen, but if it did, I'd hope we'd get Harris. But if not, I'd still prefer a combo of Mudiay, Beasley, and a pick, to the Lakers offer.

Harris and Randle were in the same draft so someone will pay Harris too.

[No name]

If he can't find a deal in the next few weeks before training camps start, he'll probably wait until the trade deadline and see if there's a borderline playoff team looking to over-pay for someone to put them over the hump.

Having PG on your roster for half of a season negates much of the return due to his affect on their 2018 draft pick.

[xxSnEaKyPxx]

If Pacers end up with any combo of Denver assets that does not atleast include Harris, Murray or multiple future 1sts, its going to be worse than the Lakers offer.

I disagree.

Randle is a player I actually like, but we all know someone is going to throw the bank at him next year. As good as he may be, he will not be worth the contract he gets.

Doesn't sound like the Denver deal is going to happen, but if it did, I'd hope we'd get Harris. But if not, I'd still prefer a combo of Mudiay, Beasley, and a pick, to the Lakers offer.

Harris and Randle were in the same draft so someone will pay Harris too.

True, I don't know that I see him getting north of 20 million like I do with Randle though.

[Kilroy]

If he can't find a deal in the next few weeks before training camps start, he'll probably wait until the trade deadline and see if there's a borderline playoff team looking to over-pay for someone to put them over the hump.

Having PG on your roster for half of a season negates much of the return due to his affect on their 2018 draft pick.

Obviously, but there's not a whole lot of difference between having him on the roster for half the season or for training camp... Once training camp starts, offers are going away. Cleveland still might have an offer out to them but a lot of teams are going to back out when training camp starts.

[Spens1]

Its the second part.

I don't think Pritchard cares one way or another what happens to PG after he trades him. His only goal is to get the best deal possible for him. The Lakers are not offering that. Its not some massive conspiracy where Pritchard is hell bent on making sure PG doesn't join the Lakers...he just doesn't want to accept their bad offer.

If Pacers end up with any combo of Denver assets that does not atleast include Harris, Murray or multiple future 1sts, its going to be worse than the Lakers offer.

I disagree.

Randle is a player I actually like, but we all know someone is going to throw the bank at him next year. As good as he may be, he will not be worth the contract he gets.

Doesn't sound like the Denver deal is going to happen, but if it did, I'd hope we'd get Harris. But if not, I'd still prefer a combo of Mudiay, Beasley, and a pick, to the Lakers offer.

but if its just Mudiay and some randoms it will be worse.

Gary Harris would be ideal though but i can't see the Nuggets giving him up.

[Spens1]

PG update

@MarkHeisler tabs the Clippers as the favorites to get LeBron next summer https://t.co/Sb0L8dra9P</a>

— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) June 26, 2017

2. Get Paul George — Still working on that one.

George, a 2018 free agent, told the Pacers he won’t re-sign and wants to play for the Lakers.

Unfortunately for the Lakers, teams are lined up willing to deal for George as a one-year rental, including the Cavaliers, Celtics, Wizards, Trail Blazers … and Clippers.

Indiana GM Kevin Pritchard called George’s announcement “a total gut punch,” signaling the Pacers just need time to sort through all the offers.

A GM who offered multiple No. 1 picks couldn’t even get into the conversation. The Pacers told him they had much better offers.

With George thinking Lakers, they have the advantage of being able to offer more for a player they expect to keep than the other teams can offer for a one-year rental.

So far, that appears to have been Julius Randle or Jordan Clarkson plus draft picks.

It remains to be seen if the Lakers will offer Randle and Clarkson, and if that will get it done.

all things considered i would do P.G for both because

1. As much as it would suck to lose Clarkson, we drafted well enough i think where we'd have cover for him in Hart and we can always get a free agent for a year at P.G
2. We avoid having to pay Randle, i mean Randle on the Clarkson deal is ok but really speaking it isn't great.

I still like the idea of a Turner-Randle frontcourt for Indiana, i think it would work really well and Clarkson in Indiana i think could be an 18PPG guy potentially (especially if he works on that 3 and starts knocking it down consistently instead of last season where he was hot and cold).

[Spens1]

Boston gets Hayward, it would be smart to package some of their wings for another big man. Their biggest achilles heel is rebounding.

why i said dealing for Love would be better. Horford and Love in the frontcourt and if they keep their key pieces, even better.

[Slava]

Read on Twitter

[SashaTheMachine]

Well, at least he stopped the potential pairing of Kyrie and book .. phew if truuuuu

[Lakernut4ever]

Well, we are on page 55 already...I wonder what page will this page last? Last time I was so engrossed with the topic was with the drama of the Dwight trade....

[Spanish_Laker]

Update the title of the post, please! "The Paul George Drama"

[No name]

If he can't find a deal in the next few weeks before training camps start, he'll probably wait until the trade deadline and see if there's a borderline playoff team looking to over-pay for someone to put them over the hump.

Having PG on your roster for half of a season negates much of the return due to his affect on their 2018 draft pick.

Obviously, but there's not a whole lot of difference between having him on the roster for half the season or for training camp... Once training camp starts, offers are going away. Cleveland still might have an offer out to them but a lot of teams are going to back out when training camp starts.

I didn't mean to insinuate that you or anyone else wasn't aware. I was just trying to add that to the discussion once again.
I think the longer this drags out, the less they get. I also think that the Lakers are essentially out. The Pacers have manipulated the market to drum up offers. They made the names sound more juicy than reality. Now if the Lakers have the best offer (without losing at chicken) the Pacers fans will revolt.