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Could Paul George's time with the Philadelphia 76ers be coming to an end already? Although it isn’t likely, other teams are showing interest ahead of the NBA trade deadline.
Numerous teams are interested in trading for George, including the Golden State Warriors and Atlanta Hawks, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. However, it would only take a crazy offer to get PG from Philadelphia.
Pompey writes the following: “[S]ources tell The Inquirer that the Atlanta Hawks and Golden State Warriors have expressed interest in acquiring George ahead of Thursday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline…The Warriors came close to acquiring him from the Los Angeles Clippers via a sign-and-trade before the free-agency period began. Even though sources said the Sixers are gagging at the interest, the belief around the league is he’ll only get moved for a home-run deal.”
76ers' Paul George drawing interest ahead of trade deadline
The Warriors eagerly want to acquire a star ahead of the deadline, contacting teams and discussing various high-level players internally. George, a California native, appears to be on their list. Trading for an aging star surely isn’t a concern as they try to make the most of Stephen Curry's final years as a star.
The Hawks, however, do not make much sense as a suitor for George. Although their No. 2 option, Jalen Johnson, is out for the rest of the season, it would take several of their contracts to acquire PG, an aging star who doesn’t fit their team-building timeline very well.
Although George has not lived up to expectations in his first few months with the 76ers — sustaining various injuries and performing well below a max-contract level — moving him now would disrupt the continuity the team sought to secure this offseason. Still, it's clear that he probably won’t be good enough to uplift Philly to title-contention status.
The 76ers have been routinely linked to Jimmy Butler, who they would have to trade George to get, but making a big trade in a season as rough as Philly's would be unwise. PG may not end up finishing his contract in Philadelphia but the end probably won’t be now.
