George noncommital on Pacers extension; wants to play for "winning" team

[SparzWizard]

"Winning" team...sounds like the Warriors. OKC might need to use a SF too.

[nickagneta]

Couple of things.

1. Paul George isn't a SG. And he isn't a PF. George wants to play SF. Know why? BECAUSE HE IS A FREAKING SMALL FORWARD!!!! Stop trying to reinvent the wheel to placate other players or show some sense that you are smarter than everyone else. Paul George is a SF and he is a better SF than anyone on our roster so if you trade for him guess where you are going to play him...AT SMALL FORWARD!!!

2. Paul George is a top ten to to twelve player in this league. You aren't getting him with one Nets pick, an expendable player like Bradley, salary filler and garbage picks. Bird isn't giving him away. If you wany him you have to give up this year's Nets pick, Brown, Zizic, one of Bradley, Crowder or Smart and more future firsts. If George was a Celtic, its what Ainge would want minimum. You think Bird is any different?

3. There is a lot of reading between the lines going on about George's comment about wanting to play for a winner. Did anyone think that maybe he is talking about wanting to play for a winner in Indiana and that it has nothing to do with wanting to get out of Indy? I see it more as a Paul Pierce circa 2006 call for his front office to go get him some real help and not as a threat that he is going want to actually be traded. Bird screwed up and got role playing vets to put around George. PG wants other stars to play with and this might be how he is telling Bird.

[jpotter33]

Couple of things.

1. Paul George isn't a SG. And he isn't a PF. George wants to play SF. Know why? BECAUSE HE IS A FREAKING SMALL FORWARD!!!! Stop trying to reinvent the wheel to placate other players or show some sense that you are smarter than everyone else. Paul George is a SF and he is a better SF than anyone on our roster so if you trade for him guess where you are going to play him...AT SMALL FORWARD!!!

2. Paul George is a top ten to to twelve player in this league. You aren't getting him with one Nets pick, an expendable player like Bradley, salary filler and garbage picks. Bird isn't giving him away. If you wany him you have to give up this year's Nets pick, Brown, Zizic, one of Bradley, Crowder or Smart and more future firsts. If Brown was a Celtic, its what Ainge would want minimum. You think Bird is any different?

3. There is a lot of reading between the lines going on about George's comment about wanting to play for a winner. Did anyone think that maybe he is talking about wanting to play for a winner in Indiana and that it has nothing to do with wanting to get out of Indy? I see it more as a Paul Pierce circa 2006 call for his front office to go get him some real help and not as a threat that he is going want to actually be traded. Bird screwed up and got role playing vets to put around George. PG wants other stars to play with and this might be how he is telling Bird.

Paul George actually was a full time shooting guard his first two years in the league, and he's fully capable of still playing the position. I'd rather ideally have him at the 3, too, but it could work out like that, especially with as versatile a defender as Crowder is and our ability to put George where we want on the defense.

Further, he's long been rumored to want to play for a bigger market, and many have long suspected that he's a prime candidate to move after this contract is up, or actually earlier with the player option. Nobody is saying that this is him saying, "I'm leaving." This is basically an implicit threat and way to force Bird to make the team better, otherwise he can always opt out next summer and leave for nothing.

But again, I don't see any way that Bird can realistically meet these types of demands, ESPECIALLY if he wants actual stars to play with as you suggest. The only really good trade chip that they have is Turner, but he should be virtually untouchable. I still think George ends up forcing Bird to trade him this summer after failing to seriously upgrade the team. They just don't have the assets, coaching, or market appeal to seriously upgrade at the moment.

[iadera]

I think it would be easier to get Butler.

[slightly biased bias fan]

For a George trade you'd have to look at the Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets - Knicks trade. Denver Nuggets traded Anthony to the New York Knicks along with Chauncey Billups in exchange for Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, Timofey Mozgov, a 2014 first-round pick and the swap rights in 2016. (Denver also landed Kosta Koufos in the deal from the Minnesota Timberwolves).

If George actually asked out (i don't think it's happening) you could keep Brown by getting a third party involved for Crowder in exchange for a 1st or a young prospect but still most probably both Brooklyn picks as well.

[playdream]

I will do 2018Nets and AB + couple 1st and 2nd for PG, him,brown and crowder can switch 2.3 and smallball 4s, draft Fultz to play 1.2 with IT and Smart

Bird has to take it because he has no choice, there won't be any better offer or even let him walk for nothing

[cltc5]

Take this ears #1 out and the rest we can talk.  You can build a team around George.  Pick up a young pg with that #1 and we're right back ontrack

[nickagneta]

Couple of things.

1. Paul George isn't a SG. And he isn't a PF. George wants to play SF. Know why? BECAUSE HE IS A FREAKING SMALL FORWARD!!!! Stop trying to reinvent the wheel to placate other players or show some sense that you are smarter than everyone else. Paul George is a SF and he is a better SF than anyone on our roster so if you trade for him guess where you are going to play him...AT SMALL FORWARD!!!

2. Paul George is a top ten to to twelve player in this league. You aren't getting him with one Nets pick, an expendable player like Bradley, salary filler and garbage picks. Bird isn't giving him away. If you wany him you have to give up this year's Nets pick, Brown, Zizic, one of Bradley, Crowder or Smart and more future firsts. If Brown was a Celtic, its what Ainge would want minimum. You think Bird is any different?

3. There is a lot of reading between the lines going on about George's comment about wanting to play for a winner. Did anyone think that maybe he is talking about wanting to play for a winner in Indiana and that it has nothing to do with wanting to get out of Indy? I see it more as a Paul Pierce circa 2006 call for his front office to go get him some real help and not as a threat that he is going want to actually be traded. Bird screwed up and got role playing vets to put around George. PG wants other stars to play with and this might be how he is telling Bird.

Paul George actually was a full time shooting guard his first two years in the league, and he's fully capable of still playing the position. I'd rather ideally have him at the 3, too, but it could work out like that, especially with as versatile a defender as Crowder is and our ability to put George where we want on the defense.

Further, he's long been rumored to want to play for a bigger market, and many have long suspected that he's a prime candidate to move after this contract is up, or actually earlier with the player option. Nobody is saying that this is him saying, "I'm leaving." This is basically an implicit threat and way to force Bird to make the team better, otherwise he can always opt out next summer and leave for nothing.

But again, I don't see any way that Bird can realistically meet these types of demands, ESPECIALLY if he wants actual stars to play with as you suggest. The only really good trade chip that they have is Turner, but he should be virtually untouchable. I still think George ends up forcing Bird to trade him this summer after failing to seriously upgrade the team. They just don't have the assets, coaching, or market appeal to seriously upgrade at the moment.

George played SG his first two years because he was a rookie/2nd year player and because established vet and All-Star Danny Granger was playing SF. Without Granger being there, PG would have been the SF because he is a SF. George is now the established vet and All-Star and you play him at SF because of that. You don't sign or trade for a player of George's caliber and then tell him he has to playout of position because Jae Crowder is your SF. You just don't handle superstars like that.

[crownontherocks]

Interviewer: "Name one player you're most excited to see this weekend."

Paul George: "Isaiah."

https://mobile.twitter.com/MichaelVPina/status/833022392964435968

[Jvalin]

Interviewer: "Name one player you're most excited to see this weekend."

Paul George: "Isaiah."

https://mobile.twitter.com/MichaelVPina/status/833022392964435968

Isaiah for Myles Turner works salary-wise. We avoid paying Isaiah 30+ million in 2018 and we draft Fultz or Ball.

I mean, let's face it. We aren't beating the Cavs. And on the off chance we do, we aren't beating the Warriors.

[Evantime34]

Interviewer: "Name one player you're most excited to see this weekend."

Paul George: "Isaiah."

https://mobile.twitter.com/MichaelVPina/status/833022392964435968

Isaiah for Myles Turner works salary-wise. We avoid paying Isaiah 30+ million in 2018 and we draft Fultz or Ball.

I mean, let's face it. We aren't beating the Cavs. And on the off chance we do, we aren't beating the Warriors.

Last year everyone said there is no beating the Warriors, injuries an happen you never know.

Paul George in only 26, we it's not like we would only have him for this year.

Depending on what we give up for George we could add him and still have avenues to improve via young players in the draft, so PG wouldn't necessarily max our our ceiling.

[SHAQATTACK]

IT , AL and Paul would be pretty good group ....if you can keep Smart and KO and Brown plus our Zizic for center.

I'd do 2018 and Bradley or Crowder ...but not 2017pick

The fans deserve the chance for #1 .....it's been a long time

[Bobshot]

Interviewer: "Name one player you're most excited to see this weekend."

Paul George: "Isaiah."

https://mobile.twitter.com/MichaelVPina/status/833022392964435968

Sounds like George wants to play in Boston, Larry.

[jambr380]

IT , AL and Paul would be pretty good group ....if you can keep Smart and KO and Brown plus our Zizic for center.

I'd do 2018 and Bradley or Crowder ...but not 2017pick

The fans deserve the chance for #1 .....it's been a long time

A long time? Amazingly, the Cs have never selected #1 in the draft (and no, Chuck Share who was selected #1 in 1950 doesn't count since he never actually played for the Cs).

Regardless, if it only took the BKN '17 and AB, I would go ahead with the deal. Not crazy about adding too much to that, though.

[Jvalin]

Last year everyone said there is no beating the Warriors, injuries an happen you never know.

Yeah but the Cavs have LeBron plus 2 other all stars in Irving and Love. Injuries did happen in 2015 and LeBron managed to win 2 games against the Warriors almost by himself. Don't get me wrong, Paul George is a great 2-way player. It's just that the Cavs and the Warriors are on another level.

Depending on what we give up for George we could add him and still have avenues to improve via young players in the draft, so PG wouldn't necessarily max our our ceiling.

Sure, but can we become better than the Cavs or the Warriors with their 4 all stars and 2 MVPs? I don't want us to trade the Nets picks just for the chance to play a few more games in the playoffs.