Before the Indiana Pacers traded Paul George to the Oklahoma City Thunder prior to the 2017-18 NBA season, Paul George reportedly informed them he would not be re-signing in free agency and was heavily linked with the Los Angeles Lakers. Although there were reports of the Thunder potentially moving George at the trade deadline, they ultimately kept him.

As George's future with the Thunder remains unclear, the Lakers took a major step in clearing the necessary cap space to sign two max contract players. They traded Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Isaiah Thomas, Channing Frye, and a 2018 first round draft pick. With two expiring contracts and a surprising first round draft pick, President of Basketball Operations Magic Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka are in prime position.

With the Thunder taking on the Lakers on the same day as the trade deadline, George received ‘We want Paul!' chants at the Staples Center. With the 27-year-old preparing for his fifth All-Star appearance in front of his hometown, Lakers fans were back at it during media availability according to Fred Katz of Norman Transcript:

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Although the Lakers were fined significantly by the NBA for tampering, it is no secret they are looking to speed up the rebuilding process by pairing George and LeBron James. The two All-Stars were linked with the Cleveland Cavaliers, but they ultimately traded Kyrie Irving to the Boston Celtics for Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, and Brooklyn Nets' 2018 first round draft pick.

In the second half of the season, the Lakers will look to rebound from losing three consecutive games since the Cavaliers trade. Prior to the move, Los Angeles had won 12 of their 16 games. With a young core established led by Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, and Kyle Kuzma, it will be interesting to see how George and James view the team and if they finally join forces.

LeBron James, Paul George