Although Paul George won’t leave the Indiana Pacers in a fire sale, he’s firmly within the Boston Celtics’ price range.
Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale speculated Monday about what the Celtics would have to trade in order to acquire George, the Pacers’ standout small forward who’s reportedly determined to leave the team. Favale suggests the Celtics would part ways with Terry Rozier, their second-round pick in the 2017 Draft (No. 37 overall), and a future first-round selection: the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2018 pick or the more favorable of the Philadelphia 76ers’ or Sacramento Kings’ 2019 picks.
Favale admits this scenario is unlikely to pass, ranking it seventh out of seven potential trades for George. The Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers first would have to balk at Indiana’s demands, and George then must sign a long-term contract to make the deal worthwhile for the Celtics.
“Renting George (who can opt out of his contract after next season) isn’t an option the Celtics are considering, according to Basketball Insiders’ Steve Kyler,” Favale writes. “They’ll be at the bargaining table because they’re always at the bargaining table, but much like the Lakers, they needn’t bend over backward to accommodate the Pacers’ asking price.”
The Pacers almost certainly won’t receive full value for trading George since he’s entering the de facto final year of his contract with the team. And the Celtics would be just fine with that.
Thumbnail photo via Ken Blaze/USA TODAY Sports Images
