It’s been rumored for quite some time that Paul George might not stay with the Indiana Pacers for long, and that the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics are among his top destinations.
But what if his ideal fit isn’t either of those three teams?
That’s what FS1 NBA reporter Chris Broussard suggested on his latest “In The Zone” podcast.
Broussard believes the Miami Heat, not the Lakers or the Celtics, should be George’s top choice. He eliminated L.A. first, claiming George, whose contract with Indiana expires after the 2017-18 season, won’t want to play for a “mediocre team” in the tough Western Conference. But why Miami over Boston?
“You need to go somewhere where they know how to win. Where there’s a culture,” Broussard said, via FOX Sports. “… There’s only a handful of teams that tend to win championships, and (the Heat) have got a coach (in Erik Spoelstra). And obviously, you’ve got (team president) Pat Riley there.
Broussard also lauded Miami’s solid core led by Hassan Whiteside, Goran Dragic and decent role players in Tyler Johnson and Dion Waiters. Broussard even suggested the Heat with George would be the team to beat in the Eastern Conference outside the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“If I put Paul George on that team with a championship coach in Erik Spoelstra — I’m not going to say they’re better than Cleveland, but I think they’re right there close to Cleveland and certainly better than anybody else in the East,” Broussard added.
That could be seen as a slight to the Celtics, who finished with the East’s No. 1 seed this season and certainly would be serious contenders if they added George. And while Riley and Spoelstra deserve some credit for the Heat’s “winning culture,” it helps to have LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh deliver you back-to-back NBA titles.
Thumbnail photo via Steve Mitchell/USA TODAY Sports Images
