The Indiana Pacers, in a surprising move on Friday night, decided to trade Paul George to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Over the last few months, there has been a growing expectation that George will ultimately make the jump to his hometown team, the Los Angeles Lakers, next summer when he becomes an unrestricted free agent. However, Chris Mannix of The Vertical has been quick to point out that his move to the Thunder could possibly change the All-Star forward's mind:
Per one NBA team exec: "If the Lakers think Paul George is just going to walk away from a winner…I wouldn't count on it."
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) July 1, 2017
George has expressed that he wants to play for a team that can contend for an NBA title, and the Thunder could give him that opportunity. Russell Westbrook is coming off a career-best campaign where he won the MVP award by being the only second player in league history to average a triple-double for an entire season.
If the Thunder show promise of being a team on the rise with George and Westbrook meshing well together, it could conceivably convince the duo to re-sign together. It is a big risk that Oklahoma City is taking, but it's worth attempting given the potential outcome.
As for the Lakers, there is still the unknown factor of what could lie ahead of the franchise. They have assembled a promising young roster headed by Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle, and a proven big man in Brook Lopez. If this group can show some significant progress next season, that could be a major influencing factor on George.
Ultimately, how things play out for both the Lakers and Thunder in the 2017-18 season will have a major impact on George's decision next summer in free agency.
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