Do we have a dark horse in the Paul George sweepstakes?
John Wall apparently believes so. The Washington Wizards point guard told The Undefeated’s Marc J. Spears he’s actively recruiting George to get the Indiana Pacers star to join him in D.C.
“I am talking to some guys — Paul,” Wall told Spears. “I know his ultimate goal of where he wants to be. I’m trying to see if we can make something happen.”
The Wizards and Pacers have had trade talks involving George, a source told Spears, but Indiana is being “patient” and no deal is imminent. That hasn’t stopped Wall from making his best sales pitch to his good friend.
“Look at our team. We are one piece away,” Wall told Spears. “We have the point guard, we have the shooting guard, we have the center, we have the power forward. Our 3-man (Otto Porter Jr.) did great for us. You can’t take nothing away from what he did. But (George) is a guy that can guard (Cleveland Cavaliers star) LeBron (James) and go back at LeBron. It’s a piece that you’re going to need to win. If you don’t have a guy who can do that, you don’t have a chance. …
“You got to add another star. You got to add another piece. You got to have three guys. And that’s what it’s looking like.”
George appears set on leaving the Pacers after his contract expires in 2018 (if not sooner), but the Wizards previously hadn’t been on his radar. The Los Angeles native reportedly is enamored with joining his hometown Lakers, while the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers also have been involved in George trade talks, according to reports.
You now can add Washington to that list, though, and we’ll find out soon enough if Wall has enough sway to convince George to join him in the nation’s capital.
Thumbnail photo via Tommy Gilligan/USA TODAY Sports Images
