The Boston Celtics are right in the thick of the Paul George sweepstakes.
NBA insider Sam Amico reported Wednesday night that the Indiana Pacers were sifting through and ranking trade offers for George, with just about every team (if not all) at least contacting them about the four-time All-Star.
While it’s unclear how motivated the Pacers are to move George before Thursday night’s NBA draft, or what exactly they’re looking for in return, it sounds like the Boston Celtics are among the teams making a strong push for the 27-year-old swingman.
Amico released some additional NBA nuggets Thursday morning, just hours before the draft, and George again was a topic mentioned. The Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers have been linked to George in trade rumors more than any other teams, but the C’s again popped up as a potential landing spot.
Here’s more from Amico:
“3. The Cavs are still very involved in talks for Indiana forward Paul George. It has been estimated that nearly every team has called to inquire about the Pacers star. The Cavs, Celtics and Lakers (George’s preferred destination) are all believed to have strong offers on the table.
4. The Pacers do not care, of course, that George intends to eventually play for the Lakers. They will take the best deal from any team, no questions asked.”
Although Amico’s report offers little clarity, like what the Celtics — or anyone else, for that matter — are offering the Pacers for their best player, it confirms the notion that Boston is keeping an open mind as it looks to shift the balance of power in the Eastern Conference.
The Celtics, of course, own the No. 3 pick in Thursday’s draft, and it could be used as a bargaining chip in trade talks for George or another star player.
Thumbnail photo via Steve Mitchell/USA TODAY Sports Images
