This probably makes PG13 to LA less likely, at least in the short term. Whoever takes over from Bird is NOT going to want their first move to be shipping out the team's best player.
Mike
Yeah but if Paul George says he WILL NOT stay with Indiana, then they will have to.
And lets be real, Paul George IS their team pretty much.
There's something to be said for offering George the max and then letting him walk if he wants. You're rebuilding either way but that puts some of the blame on George for "abandoning" the franchise and it tells other GMs that you won't be bullied into making a bad deal.
I mean, if the Lakers want to offer a top 3 pick this year, Randle and Clarkson or Russell, you'd jump on that deal. But if they're offering the #3, Mozgov and Deng, is that enough?
Mike
it is if the market says so, which i don't think so, any number of teams can top that deal, the second one at least.
but i think that many would agree, our best offer would be:
17 pick, crowder, JJ/Zeller and maybe Rozier or Yabu/Young
anything else is an overpay like 17 pick, crowdedr, brown/bradley/smart and fillers