George says he’s purple at heart

Pacers’ All-Star small forward reportedly plans to opt out, wants to sign with Lakers.

Paul George has made it official, according to a report.

He wants to come home, to Southern California and to the Lakers.

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports’ the Vertical reported that George’s agent, Aaron Mintz, has told Indiana Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard that he plans to opt out of his contract after the 2017-18 season. Further, George let it be known that he would like to sign with the Lakers in free agency.

The report added that George’s motivation for disclosing this to Pritchard was to allow the Pacers to plan for a future without him.

It’s been a long time since such a talented player has been so intent on playing for the Lakers. In the last few years they have whiffed on free agents LaMarcus Aldridge, Carmelo Anthony, DeAndre Jordan and Greg Monroe. They couldn’t even get a meeting with Kevin Durant last summer.

“That was something that I didn’t recognize,” Lakers president and co-owner Jeanie Buss said. “That wasn’t anything we’d gone through before. It hurt. It hurt that there were players that didn’t see what a great opportunity it would be to play for a premiere sports team in the best market with the best fans in a top-three building in the league. It just didn’t make any sense. It was a disappointment. But I think I guess we’ll see how things go.”

Buss overhauled the Lakers’ front office in February, replacing general manager Mitch Kupchak with Rob Pelinka and replacing her brother Jim Buss, who was the executive vice president

of basketball operations, with Magic Johnson, who was named president of basketball operations. Since the start of their tenure, they’ve said they have felt the tide turning.

The fact that Markelle Fultz, projected as the No. 1 overall pick in Thursday’s NBA draft, was willing to work out for the Lakers felt, inside the organization, like a sign the team was once again an attractive destination for stars. George’s declaration offers heavier proof.

George grew up in Palmdale, a fan of the Lakers and especially Kobe Bryant.

At the trade deadline in February, George made no secret of his interest in the Lakers. It might have scared away some potential suitors, but Larry Bird, then the Pacers’ president of basketball operations, told The Times he was not motivated to move George at the deadline.

Bird stepped down from the role this spring, seemingly paving the way for moving George. Another factor: George was not named to an All-NBA team this year, making it unlikely under his contract that he will qualify for a supermax extension, worth more than $200 million, after next season.

The truth, though, is that any team other than the Lakers that traded for George would probably only be getting him on a one-year rental. That could depress the market for him, to the Lakers’ advantage.

Then again, if George will come to Los Angeles in free agency, it might make more sense for the Lakers to simply wait until then, rather than trade for him.

Mintz is also the agent for Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell and forward Julius Randle.