Paul George reportedly has informed the Indiana Pacers that he plans to leave the franchise after next season, and there’s a chance he’ll be joining up with his rival — at least for one season.
The Pacers reportedly have reached out to the Cleveland Cavaliers to gauge their interest in the 27-year-old George, and even though George reportedly would prefer to head to Los Angeles after the 2017-18 NBA season, that doesn’t scare the Cavs.
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reports, citing sources, that the three-time defending Eastern Conference champions are willing to talk trade with the Pacers even without a long-term commitment from George.
According to McMenamin, the Cavaliers believe their culture and championship-level play can convince George to re-sign with the team after the 2017-18 campaign.
But if the Cavaliers want to acquire the star forward, they likely would have to part with either Kyrie Irving or Kevin Love.
While George would add offensive firepower and defensive intensity to a Cavs team that is trying to contend with the Golden State Warriors, giving up either star for what could only be one year of George is a risky proposition.
Of course, there is no guarantee LeBron James will be a Cavalier after next season, so Cleveland might want to go all-in for another title.
Thumbnail photo via Brian Spurlock/USA TODAY Sports Images
