You’d be hard-pressed to find an NBA player tied to more rumors as of late than Paul George.
The Indiana Pacers superstar was rumored to be on the trading block leading up to the Feb. 23 deadline, specifically with the Boston Celtics. It’s also been reported the four-time All Star has interest in returning home to Los Angeles to play with the Lakers once his current contract expires.
Amid all the noise, George remains in Indiana (for the time being) and team president Larry Bird has expressed his desire to continue to build around his star player. And according to ESPN’s Zach Lowe, George reportedly has a player in mind of who he’d like to join forces with.
“George would love to play with hometown boy Gordon Hayward, according to sources,” Lowe writes.
Hayward is an Indianapolis native and played collegiately at Butler. Joining the Pacers would be a homecoming of sorts for the Utah Jazz forward, but Lowe reports it’s “unlikely” that takes place.
Hayward is set to become a free agent at the conclusion of the season, though, so moving on from Utah wouldn’t be a stretch of the imagination. Hayward’s head coach at Butler was current Celtics head coach Brad Stevens, so it wouldn’t be surprising if Boston kicked the tires on Hayward this summer.
The Celtics are positioning themselves as an appealing destination for free agents as they’re in a tight race for the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed. Even George himself vocalized his admiration for the C’s chemistry following Indiana’s loss to Boston on Wednesday night.
So, while it’s reportedly doubtful George and Hayward team up in Indiana, there’s always the possibility they come together in a different city.
Thumbnail photo via Brian Spurlock/USA TODAY Sports Images
