NBA Rumors: Paul George has had Indiana written across his chest for his entire NBA career. Sooner rather than later, that may change
Paul George has been nothing short of spectacular for the Indiana Pacers since his arrival in 2010. The bona fide superstar has done everything Larry Bird and company have asked for. Since the Pacers fell to the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals in back to back seasons, the Pacers haven’t been in contention.
Look at the of the rest of that Pacers starting five that fell to the Heat in 2013 and again in 2014. Lance Stephenson has played for a bunch of teams but can’t seem to latch on anywhere for the long haul. It seems as if Roy Hibbert is traded twice per season. George Hill is in Utah. David West is a member of the Warriors. George is the only starter left in Bankers Life Fieldhouse – well, technically, Stephenson is now back with the Pacers but he won’t be a starter anymore. And he’s no longer the player he was when he was first with Indiana.
Even though he’s sat around and waited some time for the brass to get him some help, there hasn’t been much done. Myles Turner has blossomed into a magnificent compliment to George. However, acquiring Jeff Teague and Thaddeus Young hasn’t done much. Monta Ellis has fallen off a cliff.
It seems as though George will be ready to walk away from the team and decline his player option after the end of next season if the mediocrity continues, especially when “super teams” keep on forming every few years. It isn’t set in stone that he’ll be on the move, however logical and entertaining it presumably will be after the 2017-18 season. So, where could the two-guard turned three-forward take his talents?
Los Angeles Lakers
Certainly the most commonly discussed destination for the star forward is Los Angeles. The Lakers haven’t had success since Kobe tore his achilles. They failed with Dwight Howard, Kobe rode off into the sunset and the Lakers sit dead last in the Western Conference.
In comes Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka, the former agent of the Black Mamba, to bring glory back to Staples Center. Former GM Mitch Kupchak was sent packing but he did build the foundation. D’Angelo Russell, Julius Randle, Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Clarkson are solid, young players that sport the purple and yellow because of Kupchak.
However, the signings of Luol Deng and Timofey Mozgov have been nothing short of underwhelming. They’re being paid a ton and haven’t lived up to expectations. Odds are Deng and Mozgov will either be asked to take a pay cut or bought out entirely.
Magic Johnson needs to make a big splash and get someone fans will line up to see, and more importantly, win. George could very well be that big splash. They’ll have Russell at the point, Clarkson or Nick Young at the two, Nance at the four and Randle at the five. George will fit right in at the three spot. The Lakeshow could come out of the depths of the Western Conference and return to glory if Paul George comes to town.