The Cavaliers are among those discussing a possible trade with the Indiana Pacers for four-time All-Star Paul George after George told the Pacers on Sunday of his intention to leave after next season, multiple sources reported.
According to the Associated Press, ESPN.com and The Vertical, the Pacers contacted the Cavs about George. The Vertical said George would be a "one-year rental," with George ready to hit free agency after the 2017-18 season. According to that website, George, a native of Palmdale, Calif., is interested in joining the Los Angeles Lakers.
George, 27, averaged 23.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists last season. Eliminated from the playoffs by the Cavs in a first-round sweep, George improved those numbers to 28 points, 8.8 rebounds and 7.3 assists in the 2017 postseason.
Cavs owner Dan Gilbert might believe acquiring George would increase the team's chances of defeating the Golden State Warriors for the NBA title. The two teams have met in three consecutive Finals, with the Cavs winning the championship in 2016 and the Warriors claiming it in 2015 and this season, when the Cavs were eliminated in five games.
The NBA draft is Thursday, and the Pacers might hope to wrap up a trade for George then, but talks could also extend into next month. Teams can begin negotiating and making verbal agreements on July 1, with the formal free agency and trade period beginning on July 6.
The Sporting News reported Monday that the LA Clippers are also interested in George through a sign-and-trade.
George carries a 19.3 million contract for 2017-18.
The Pacers are reportedly seeking a package of talent and draft picks. The Cavs have no picks in this draft and would likely have to surrender a member of their Big Three _ presumably Kevin Love. Love has two years left on his contract, which carries a $22.6 million salary for next season.
Love, 28, is coming off his best statistical season in his three with the Cavs, averaging 19 points and 11.1 rebounds. In the playoffs, those numbers were 18.9 points and 11.9 rebounds.
Complicating the Cavs' possible interest in George is the fact that general manager David Griffin's contract expires on June 30. The fourth general manager to work for Gilbert since 2005, Griffin succeeded Chris Grant, who was fired in 2014.
According to the Associated Press, the contract of Trent Redden, the Cavs senior vice president for basketball operations, also expires at the end of the month.
George drew repeated praise from Cavs star LeBron James during the playoffs.
"Paul George is one of those type of players that you have to just have your eyes on him every single possession because he's capable of hurting you," James said of George in April.
James also admires George for how he came back from a horrific broken leg suffered in a Team USA scrimmage in Las Vegas in August 2014. George had a rod inserted in his leg to repair the injury.
"Anybody can be great in the form of comfort. But when things don't go your way and adversity hits, how can you get back to the point that nobody thinks you can get back to?" James said of George on April 13. "You guys know what I'm talking about with his freak injury with USAB. There were a lot of people saying he would never get back to what he was and doing the things that he was before.
"It's a testament to him and, first of all, a testament to the docs who did the operation, too, that got him back to where he is today. But if his mind is not strong, it doesn't matter if you got Dr. [James] Andrews working on you, you're not going be able to recover."
That day James conveyed the respect he's gained for George during their playoff battles. The Pacers were eliminated by James and the Miami Heat in the conference finals in 2013 and '14 and in the East semifinals in 2012.
"It's great to see as a competitor and as a friend, he's someone that I've had a lot of great playoff series with and great conversations with to see him back to where he needs to be," James said. "Everything he's able to accomplish I'm always proud of him, proud of his success and the leader he's become."
