Future uncertain for George, Pacers
Forward focused more on legacy than big money
There is no conclusion to the superstar saga here, no resolution to Paul George’s uncertain future.
The NBA announced Thursday that the Indiana Pacers small forward did not make any of the All-NBA teams voted on by media members, thereby eliminating the possibility he could be given a fiveyear, $207 million super-max extension this summer that could have kept him from skipping town. Except for one thing: George, who could have done that deal anytime between July 6 to the start of the regular season if he had qualified, wasn’t likely going to sign that deal right away anyway.
Why? Because this isn’t just about the money. It’s about winning. And if he can’t win at the highest level in Indiana, where the four-time All- Star has been since the Pacers drafted him 10th overall in 2010, then it’s off to Laker Land he’ll go — either via trade or in free agency next summer.
Had George been selected to an All-NBA team and had the Pacers made it clear right away that the super-max check would be coming his way, George still planned to take the patient and prudent road. Wait to see if the Pacers could re-sign point guard Jeff Teague in free agency before even thinking about signing. Watch Pacers general manager Kevin Pritchard work, learning all along the way whether the respected executive who recently took the top front office position would be able to dramatically upgrade the roster. Wonder all the while why he’d pass up a chance to fulfill a boyhood dream by following in Kobe Bryant’s footsteps and starring for the Los Angeles Lakers.
According to a person with knowledge of George’s thinking who spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the situation, the money doesn’t matter nearly as much to him as most might assume. Yes, there’s a gap of more than $70 million between the five-year deal the Pacers could have given George and the four-year deal he could get from other teams in free agency next summer. And yes, the possibility still exists that if George made an All-NBA team next season, the Pacers could still give him a super-max deal next offseason (or, of course, run the risk of losing him for nothing in free agency).
But after making it all the way back from his horrific leg break in the summer of 2014 and threatening to unseat LeBron James in those back-to-back Miami Heat-Pacers conference finals, George finds himself more focused on legacy than ever. And whether it’s realistic or not, the 27-year-old who grew up idolizing Bryant in Palmdale, Calif., believes he can lift the Lakers out of the darkness. The question now is whether the Lakers will have the necessary patience and prudence on their end to make the most of their situation.
Tempting though it might be for the Lakers to speed up the process and offer the Pacers their No. 2 pick in the upcoming draft and other obligatory pieces in exchange for George rather than add a young dynamo such as UCLA’s Lonzo Ball, the truth is they can’t afford to give up those kinds of assets. Especially when the message has been that George wants to head their way two summers from now.
If building a title contender is the goal, this is no time to take the New York Knicks’ route to recovery. Remember in February 2011, when Carmelo Anthony forced his way out of Denver and the Knicks gave up a first-round pick and productive players including Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton and Timofey Mozgov to get him just five months before free agency (and the looming lockout)? It was a cautionary tale about the price you pay for being impatient, one that new Lakers bosses Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka would be well advised to remember.
There is risk in taking that approach, of course. The Pacers could trade George elsewhere, especially to a place such as Boston where they could use the No. 1 pick for a major upgrade at small forward, and the Lakers would be left hoping that George’s love affair with their franchise doesn’t dissipate along the way. But heavy odds are against it, and the summer of 2018 could turn into a Lakers bonanza if their plan falls into place.
George is not only an elite talent but also wildly popular among his fellow NBA stars. With Magic running the Lakers show, George would be a purple-and-gold magnet who would likely persuade others like him to come along. That possibility was strong before, and even more so now that George missed his shot at a massive payday.