Free agent George
For the Pacers, the imperative is clear: They need to dangle George in the market, and fast. Every day they tarry is a day closer to his departure, and, is therefore, another chip lost. They’re already bargaining from a position of weakness, with their er
If nothing else, the Pacers can thank Paul George for at least telling them a year in advance that he has no plans of staying. He could have stuck to his public pronouncements and insisted that any talk of him changing addresses is better made in 2018, when he becomes an unrestricted free agent. Instead, he sat down behind closed doors with franchise honchos and admitted, straight up, that he looks to bolt, thus giving them an opportunity to assess their future in the near term and beyond.
Interestingly, the Pacers were compelled to make the same projections four months ago, when the Celtics, awash with draft assets, made a trade-deadline pitch for George. The decision was much easier then; they figured to make the playoffs — perhaps even a deep run, buoyed by the seemingly wide- open competition in the East — and thereafter keep building their roster around him. And relying on his professions of loyalty (“This is my team, my group, and this is where I’m at”), they ultimately decided against shipping him.
To be sure, George himself may have been bent on keeping his blue- and- gold jersey at the time. Fresh off a successful stint in the Rio Olympics, he hit the ground running and appeared to be having a stellar 2016- 2017 campaign at the All- Star break. Unfortunately, not even all his ensuing hard work could lift the Pacers from relative mediocrity, resulting in a one-and-done postseason sweep at the hands of Cavaliers. And what’s worse, he failed to make any All-NBA Team, thereby disqualifying him from claiming a supermax contract worth around $210 million over five years. Instead, he’s due to garner $177 million through the same period, much closer to the sum he stands to get if he moves.
For the Pacers, the imperative is clear: They need to dangle George in the market, and fast. Every day they tarry is a day closer to his departure, and, is therefore, another chip lost. They’re already bargaining from a position of weakness, with their erstwhile cornerstone supposedly indicating his preference to return to his California roots and ply his trade for the Lakers. He effectively becomes a one-season rental for most other takers, so his value is depressed. In any case, they have a decision to make. Are they moving forward or stepping back? As painful as the answer may be, either is better than being stuck in the middle.