The season wasn’t supposed to end in the first round of the playoffs for Paul George. He went to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the hopes of expanding his horizons other than going to the L.A. Lakers in the 2018 offseason.
The Lakers weren’t willing to give up any of their young players to acquire him from the Indiana Pacers last summer and so George had to go somewhere else before he could become a free agent.
The Thunder went ahead and traded for him even without the guarantee of re-signing with them in the offseason. But after a semi-successful 2017-18 season, OKC faced the well-coached Utah Jazz and rising star Donovan Mitchell early in the postseason and that doomed their chances of advancing to the next round.
With an early exit from the playoffs, almost everyone believes that this has soured George’s outlook on returning to Oklahoma City when he opts out of the final year of his contract worth $20.7 million in the summer. It’s almost a given that, despite George saying all the right things during interviews, the only way he was considering an OKC comeback is if they had come close to the Finals or even the outside chance that they had won a championship this year.
Who wouldn’t want return to a team that just won the title?
That doesn’t mean that it’s 100 percent guaranteed that he’ll walk away from the Thunder. But the team would have had a better chance of re-signing the talented forward to a max contract had the Thunder advanced to the Western Conference Finals.
George will be exploring all his options this summer and here is what I believe is each team’s chance at signing him to a contract. This includes not only those with cap space but also those that don’t assuming that they can get rid of bad contracts and give George an offer sheet in the offseason. There’s also some teams that might be able to do a sign-and-trade with OKC for his services, too.
30. Indiana Pacers
As improbable as an OKC return appears to be for George, an Indiana Pacers reunion is practically impossible.
The team has moved on nicely with Victor Oladipo taking over from George as the Pacers’ newfound star. The two play different positions, which means a partnership on the court between them isn’t going to be a problem. However, George burned the bridge that bound him to Indiana when he said last year that he wanted out and the organization complied with his request.
To make this work, it will take a little bit of humbling on George’s part as well as a change in his desire to play in his hometown of L.A. or elsewhere. The Pacers are going to be lethal with George joining a team that nearly brought the King of Cleveland to his knees in a 7-game series in this year’s playoffs. Having George in the lineup will almost ensure that it happens next season.
This is all fantasy for now with George set on looking for greener pastures elsewhere.
And the Pacers don’t appear to be too interested in getting back their former star either.
In a recent interview on ESPN 1070 that was transcribed by USA TODAY’s Dakota Crawford, Pacers president Kevin Pritchard may have taken a shot at George when asked if they would consider pursuing him in free agency.
“I would want to know first that he would fit us,” Pritchard said. “We're different now, Dan. One of the things we're about, we don't care about big names, we don't care about big personalities, we don't care about big brands. What we care about is being humble …
“Anybody that fits in, yeah we're interested … I can't talk on specific players. But if they don't fit that, I'm not interested. It's that simple.
“When we look at trades, free agency and the draft, we want those kind of guys. The guys willing to do the little stuff. Everybody is talented in this league … we think our biggest talent was we played the right way.”
Sounds like George will have to look elsewhere for employment next season.
29. Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are going nowhere next season, but they seem to have an affinity for signing former All-Stars to contracts (Vince Carter, Zach Randolph). They have cap room next summer plus a lottery pick that’s sure to excite the fan base.
With De’Aaron Fox, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Zach Randolph, and the aforementioned 2018 NBA Draft pick in tow, things are looking up for the Kings. Just don’t expect George to be interested, though.
28. Boston Celtics
If there’s a team that can make do without Paul George, it’s the Boston Celtics. They have enough players that play the same position as George that there’s no reason at all for the Celtics to want to pursue him. Gordon Hayward and Jayson Tatum are already the team’s incumbent players at the small forward spot and they also have Jaylen Brown who can play the position during stretches.
These players are younger than George and the only chance that he plays for the Celts next season is if they discover that Hayward isn’t recovering as well from his injury as everyone would like. By then, however, they might discover that George has been snatched up by another team already.
The chances that George plays for Boston is very small. Miniscule, in fact.
27. Milwaukee Bucks
Only the Celtics have the same depth at the small forward position as the Milwaukee Bucks, with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jabari Parker all capable of playing there. Though Antetokounmpo and Parker as listed as power forwards, they both play like small forwards do.
But George can play the shooting guard position in a Bucks starting lineup that will feature three long-armed defenders along with defensive-minded center John Henson and tough-as-nails point guard Eric Bledsoe.
Parker could be used as a sign-and-trade option to acquire George from the Thunder, but that means the latter shouldn’t opt out of his current contract with OKC. A lot of wheeling-and-dealing needs to get done to get George to play for Milwaukee and he may not have the time to wait.
26. Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors already have Kevin Durant, but his intention is to opt out of his contract in the offseason. Durant plays the same position as George. If it so happens that the former MVP opts out and decides to go elsewhere for some reason (he’s entitled to move if he wants to), Golden State can replace him with George.
George fits with this Warriors team. He’s a very good three-point shooter but can also break down the defense and go to the hole. He doesn’t need the ball to be effective and coach Steve Kerr needs players like him. He’s a good option in case Durant decides that he’s ready to move on and try a new challenge.
Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green will find that George is as good a teammate as any they have on their roster.
But if Durant stays, there’s no reason for either George or Golden State to want to make this relationship work. There’s no indication that the former OKC star will be leaving the Bay Area Squad anytime soon but if the Warriors don’t make it to the Finals this year, who knows what Durant will do.
25. Brooklyn Nets
The future of the Brooklyn Nets franchise is bright. Finally. I’m talking about further into the future, of course. The 2018 draft pick is the last “giveaway” from the 2014 Nets-Celtics deal that landed them a couple of old vets in Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Jason Terry, plus D.J. White in exchange for five players and draft picks galore (2014, 2016, 2018) and the option to swap first-rounders in 2017.
For the first time in years, the Nets will finally have a draft pick next season. But even with the prospect of a potential star with a possible high draft pick and the presence of D'Angelo Russell, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, the Nets are doubtful to even make the playoffs.
The Nets have a good future ahead but not with George in the immediate future.
24. Minnesota Timberwolves
Andrew Wiggins, Jimmy Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns seem to be all set to grow together on the court without any additional All-Star. But rumors of Wiggins unhappiness due to Butler’s importance to the team could pave the way for a change in the Minnesota Timberwolves’ makeup come next season.
But salary cap issues persist and it’s improbable that George can be squeezed into the Timberwolves payroll. Even if George decides that this is where he wants to go, the feeling in Minnesota will not be mutual, as it entails letting go of Butler to accommodate him.
Butler is the heart and soul of this Timberwolves team despite Wiggins and Towns as the team’s top players for the past few years.
George is unlikely to join Minnesota unless something earth-shaking happens to their roster this summer.
23. Memphis Grizzlies
Marc Gasol, Mike Conley Jr. and a high lottery pick are good reasons to play for the Memphis Grizzlies. But are they good enough for George?
Maybe, but they need room under the cap to even think of signing the Thunder forward. The Grizzlies are going to be mediocre at best even with George creating a semi-Big Three with Gasol and Conley. Conley’s contract is going to hinder the franchise from getting better players around them.
George wants to win and the Grizzlies didn’t do a good job of auditioning for his services with their poor record last year.
22. Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks have the cap space to sign Paul George to a contract and can build a team around him. But Dennis Schroder, Kent Bazemore, Taurean Prince, and one of the top draft picks aren’t exactly the kind of building blocks that will help George get to the next level.
Though he could fight for a playoff spot with these guys, the All-Star forward wants more team success. That’s one reason he left the Pacers and he’s not about to go back to a similar situation that he left a year ago.
Sorry, Atlanta.
21. Orlando Magic
George as a mentor to Aaron Gordon would be a great opportunity for the former to help in the growth and development of the latter. After learning from Russell Westbrook in Oklahoma City, George could be a very good influence to Gordon.
But even with the possibility that Gordon will develop into an All-Star next season, the two of them, plus Nikola Vucevic, Evan Fournier and one of the top picks in the draft, may not be enough to get them past the better teams in the Eastern Conference.
Unless they acquire another All-Star in the offseason, George will likely pass on this team despite the huge upside they have next year.
20. Dallas Mavericks
For all their troubles in the 2017-18 season, the Dallas Mavericks may actually be knocking on the playoffs door next year. Veteran Dirk Nowitzki coming back with Harrison Barnes, Dennis Smith Jr., and a top pick in the draft are good enough reasons to believe that better days lie ahead for the Mavs.
Could George see himself as a Maverick?
Probably not. He and Barnes play the same position and it’s doubtful that the Mavs are even interested in him. Basically, it’s just not a good fit and George isn’t looking in their direction anyway so at least they mutually agree on something.
19. Phoenix Suns
Even with the worst record in the league, the Phoenix Suns could make a lot of noise in the upcoming season. The good kind, of course.
The Suns have the best shot of all the lottery teams at acquiring the first pick in the 2017 draft and the chance to select future superstar DeAndre Ayton. If Phoenix gets him and adds him to the very young core of Devin Booker, Josh Jackson, and Marquese Chriss, the prospects of getting to the playoffs next season exists.
If Paul George wants to be the wise veteran of this group, they’ll have an even better outlook next year. If he wasn’t too keen on latching onto a team that wants to win it all now, the Suns would be one of the best landing spots for the eight-year vet. They could learn a lot about having a winning attitude and being a professional.
Sadly, that’s not gonna happen, Phoenix fans.
18. Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are rebuilding again for the umpteenth time since Michael Jordan retired. This edition of the Baby Bulls includes Kris Dunn, Zach Lavine, Denzel Valentine, Bobby Portis, Lauri Markkanen, and one of the top talents in the draft. That’s a good young group right there and adding George to this team could help in their development.
But would George want to mentor such a young team?
The Bulls need to add another All-Star for George to become remotely interested in listening to an offer from them. Could they pick up either DeMarcus Cousins or LeBron James? That’s a stretch, but even if one of those two joins George on this team, they become instant playoff contenders and they can hold off on their rebuilding program for the time being.
17. New York Knicks
A Kristaps Porzingis and Paul George combo would be a terrific-looking pair next season for the New York Knicks. Unfortunately, Porzingis will not be in uniform until the middle of the season and that’s going to be the deal breaker for George.
If not for the injury, there’s a good chance that George would at least look at the possibility of playing for the Madison Square Garden crowd.
The Knicks may have a stud in the making with a lottery pick this June, but until we know which player they receive, there’s only a slim chance that George will come to New York.
As it is, the Knicks are poised for another disappointing exit next year and George will not want any part of a losing season.
16. Miami Heat
An East team with Goran Dragic, Dwyane Wade, Paul George and Hassan Whiteside looks ready to rumble and make some noise, but the Miami Heat have to address their issues with their starting center. Whiteside is sure to be out of Miami by next season but they may not find a trade partner willing to give up equal value for him.
And there’s also the issue of Wade conceivably retiring in the offseason. If they lose Wade to retirement, the Heat are going to be less of a threat in the East even though he only provided glimpses of his vintage self during the year.
If by any chance they can get a commensurate player for Whiteside, whether another center or at least a power forward like Paul Millsap, the Heat will be a dangerous opponent for most teams if they get George. Team president Pat Riley may yet find a way to lure him into the fold with his motivational techniques.
The odds are stacked against Riley, though, as plenty of other teams have much more to offer.
15. Charlotte Hornets
Though they missed the playoffs again this season, things may be looking up for the Charlotte Hornets. They have a lottery pick (again) this June and the team showed the promise of better days ahead when rookie Malik Monk showed marked improvement toward the tail end of the season.
Monk, the 11th pick of last year’s draft, could move into the starting lineup very soon. Kemba Walker, Nicolas Batum and Dwight Howard will have a season under their belts playing together and the addition of All-Star forward Paul George could have a tremendous impact on the fortunes of this beleaguered franchise.
Though George may have better offers than what this team can give him, the fact is, when team owner and NBA legend Michael Jordan talks to you, you better listen. George may be the missing piece that not only brings the Hornets to the playoffs, but he could also help them advance beyond the first round.
The Hornets, meanwhile, are over the cap and will likely have to get rid of Batum in order to sign George. If they lose Batum, the Hornets will be much better next year if he’s replaced by the 6-foot-8 Fresno State alum.
George may want to think long and hard on this one as this looks like a situation he can look into further.
14. Denver Nuggets
One of the best teams never to make this year’s playoffs is going to be even better next season. As a reward, the Denver Nuggets will be given a lottery pick. Though they are unlikely to land one of the top three picks, the Nuggets will get a chance to pick from one of the deepest drafts in recent memory.
Inserting George to a lineup with Nikola Jokic, Paul Millsap, Gary Harris, Will Barton and Jamal Murray will greatly improve their chances at making a deep playoff run next year.
The only problem is cap space. They have to shed some contracts without sacrificing quality bench depth. If George wants to be part of a potential future championship contender, the Nuggets are a good team to play for.
The problem is, George has better options ahead and the Nuggets aren’t one of the best ones out there.
13. Toronto Raptors
They have been the best team in the East for much of the year, but there are questions regarding their chances at truly being one of the elite teams until they advance past the conference finals and play in the Finals. Their poor showing against the Cleveland Cavaliers in this year’s playoffs is just unforgivable and one that demands changes in the roster.
The best Eastern Conference team in the 2017-18 regular season, the Toronto Raptors still have questions left unanswered until they dethrone James from his lofty pedestal as the king of the East. They were expected by many to win the East finals and advance to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. That was until the Cavs swept them in the semifinal round of the postseason.
Questions about trading their superstars Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan are going to be discussed during the summer for sure. Coach Dwane Casey has been one of the leading candidates for Coach of the Year but the playoffs have shown that he may not be equipped to bring the Raptors closer to the championship after all.
Enter Paul George.
What if instead of losing any of these three individuals, the Raptors decided to trade Serge Ibaka for George? That means the Thunder will have to do a sign-and-trade with the Raptors. That will return Ibaka to his former team, the one that he played for when he reached the Finals in 2011.
If George ever joins this team, Lowry and DeRozan will get another quality teammate, someone who can get them over the hump and finally win a playoffs series against whichever team LeBron James plays on next. Coupled with center Jonas Valanciunas, this team will be much better this time next year in the postseason.
The question now is whether George believes he can win here and if he’s willing to go to Canada in search for his best opportunity to win a championship.
12. Utah Jazz
The Cinderella season for the Utah Jazz came to a close after being eliminated by the Houston Rockets. As bad as their ending might have been, it doesn’t take away from the fact that the Jazz overachieved with sensational rookie Donovan Mitchell leading the charge.
The Jazz could greatly improve if they have George along for the ride, especially since he’s one of the best defenders in the league and someone who could play alongside Mitchell while mentoring the kid.
Would they become instant title-contenders with the Jazz? That is very probable. Coach-of-the-Year candidate Quinn Snyder has Utah playing the right way and he can do wonders with George on his team.
Perhaps George has seen what this Jazz team can do with their play in the postseason and maybe he sees himself making an impact for Utah in the coming year.
He’d be a terrific addition to this team. Whether the possibility intrigues George enough remains to be seen.
11. Portland Trail Blazers
Damian Lillard, C.J. McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic form the core of the Portland Trail Blazersb, but George could conceivably join them and form one of the better starting lineups in the league.
On paper, that is.
We all know that inserting an All-Star into a talented group isn’t seamless and far from being rocket science, but George is the kind of player who can fit almost anywhere.
The Blazers need to clear cap room if they want to add George to this talented bunch.
Could he have made a difference against the New Orleans Pelicans during this year’s playoffs? Of course. It’s easy to see him taking over the second banana position from McCollum eventually. This team with George is going to be very similar to the Warriors’ lineup and it’s easy to see them being successful by playing a similar style of basketball.
If the Blazers work out the necessary deals to get George in a Blazers uni, this could be the year they advance further than the second round of the postseason.
But that’s a big “if.”
10. Detroit Pistons
A team with Paul George, Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond will definitely be a playoff contender next season. This season wasn’t one of Stan Van Gundy’s best coaching performances and the fact that they didn’t make it to the postseason is due in large part to his inability to utilize his two big men to the fullest. That’s why he was fired.
The Pistons would benefit greatly from George’s three-point shooting and perimeter defense, giving Motor City potentially one of the better frontcourt defenses in the league.
Should George decide to return to the East, the Pistons should be one of the best options for him.
But the Pistons have to get under the cap first and that could take a lot of work.
They’ll get to the playoffs for sure if they can get George to sign on the dotted line. Getting three All-Stars on one roster should be incentive enough for the front office to try and get this deal done. It won’t be easy, though, as Griffin’s contract may be too limiting.
9. Oklahoma City Thunder
Another year with Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony in OKC is a possibility, but after a painful and surprising loss to the Jazz led by a rookie, George probably feels like the experiment was a failure. The 6-foot-8 forward has said all the right things to the media regarding a return to OKC and playing with Westbrook, but there’s an air of finality about his time with the franchise.
Anthony showed how much his game has declined after career-lows across the board in his 15th season. His natural position is small forward, which is the position that George occupies. George will probably decide to move on from the Thunder despite a semi-successful season with them in which they finished as the fourth seed in the Western Conference.
George could give the Thunder a chance after the relationships he developed with the players and the front office, but it’s a slim one. Everyone will be surprised if he returns to this team with coach Billy Donovan still at the helm and the supporting cast remaining exactly the same.
According to Brett Dawson of the Oklahoman, Thunder GM Sam Presti is confident that George will re-sign with the team, citing examples of how the forward has built up relationships within the organization.
“From the day PG arrived, Thunder made an effort to build a relationship with him and his team built on collaboration, transparency and trust, and he feels good about that relationship.”
8. New Orleans Pelicans
Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday, Rajon Rondo and Nikola Mirotic (after he got traded) showed that they have the hearts of champions after Cousins went down with a season-ending injury in late January. After an inconsistent first few games without the talented big man, they went on a couple of winning streaks that displayed how much better the Pelicans are now than they were in the past even without their All-Star center.
Can you imagine what Paul George can do for this team?
He will make the seventh-best defensive team so much better. The Pelicans are also ninth in offensive rating and George can most certainly help out in this area as well.
The Pelicans need to clear some salaries in order to sign the talented small forward and that won’t be an easy task. Rondo and Cousins are unrestricted free agents and it’s possible that they can only bring one of them back unless both players decide to sign for much less than their market value dictates.
That’s a big if. They can, however, opt to trade Holiday and his $25.3 million salary for a draft pick or two and keep Rondo instead. They will also need to trade Solomon Hill and E’Twaun Moore. If the Pelicans decide to add George to this group, the sky’s the limit as to what they can be capable of.
7. Washington Wizards
John Wall and Bradley Beal should try to recruit George in the offseason in the hopes of starting a Big Three with the Washington Wizards. With Marcin Gortat manning the middle and Markieff Morris providing solid production from the power forward spot, this could be one of the top four teams in the East.
The Wizards will have to find takers for both Otto Porter Jr. and Ian Mahinmi, who are due a combined $42 million next year. If they get a verbal agreement from George that he’ll sign on the dotted line after this trade, the East better watch out.
Then again, a few other teams may have more to offer the All-Star forward.
6. L.A. Clippers
The L.A. Clippers have scrapped their annual trek to the playoffs with Blake Griffin, Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan by getting rid of the former two with the latter possibly on his way out in the offseason. The only one who can present any semblance of stability on the court is Lou Williams, who signed an extension early this year.
Williams won’t be enough to encourage George to join this team unless Jordan returns next season. A team featuring these three players and Tobias Harris isn’t a bad core team to have. They could be a seventh or eighth seed in the postseason next year.
George wants to play for the Lakers because it’s in L.A. and he was a Kobe Bryant fan growing up. If he were to decide that he can at least get one of his wishes done he could choose the Clippers.
The Clips don’t have the cap room that the Lakers have. In turn, they will have to do some house cleaning in order to get him. Coach Doc Rivers will have a positive impact on George as well and may even help him become an all-time great just like how he was able to get Paul Pierce to elevate his game during the Celtics’ championship run in the late 2000’s.
5. San Antonio Spurs
Among the most drama-filled storylines in the 2017-18 season is the San Antonio Spurs and Kawhi Leonard saga that rocked the franchise unlike any other. Leonard is almost sure to be traded in the offseason and the Spurs will have no shortage of teams that will court them for the chance to land one of the league’s top players.
This is where George comes in. If George decides that he wants to play for the Spurs and be coached by future Hall of Famer Gregg Popovich, a sign-and-trade can be worked out with the Thunder. This gives both teams an All-Star forward each while they both try to contend for a championship.
The tricky part to this deal is that Leonard will have to want to play with Westbrook and Anthony in the long term by agreeing to a contract extension.
But if everything works out, George will play with proven winners Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and All-Star power forward LaMarcus Aldridge along with the capable duo of Rudy Gay and Pau Gasol.
But the prospect of playing with Pop may be incentive enough for George to want to play with the Spurs. The franchise’s winning culture is second to none and the Spurs may be a dark horse to pry George away from other teams because of this.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers
For all his posturing about wanting to keep his options open during free agency, in his heart, LeBron wants to stay in Cleveland. The Cavaliers are his team and if he can do anything about it, he’ll want to bring a championship to the city every year. But in order to do that, he will need more help than what he’s getting even with an All-Star like Kevin Love playing alongside him.
George could be the final piece to the puzzle that brings the Cavs closer to super powers such as the Warriors and Rockets. You also have to remember that George and James are good friends.
ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne reported via Twitter that the two met up in the offseason for reasons other than their destinations once they become free agents.
“This past summer, when Cleveland was trying to trade for him, Paul George said he and LeBron had lunch because they were in the same place on the same day, but ‘it wasn't about teaming up.’ Just strengthening their bond.”
Strengthening their bond could mean teaming up, too. So if James isn’t going to the Lakers with him, maybe George will want to play where the former goes. If that’s in Cleveland, then there’s a huge chance that George will want to be part of the Cavs.
The only problem is, the Cavs are over the cap and will have to unload a bunch of contracts to sign him. They may have to gut their roster by trading away two or three players from the group of George Hill, Tristan Thompson, J.R. Smith and Jordan Clarkson. If Thompson and Smith are traded, only James and Kevin Love will remain on the team as the only players to have won the 2016 championship.
Will George be worth it? That depends on how GM Koby Altman can rebuild the roster back up after tearing it down. They also have the 2017 lottery pick from the Nets that could be the key to signing James long term especially if they miraculously land one of the top three.
In his desire to win a title, George could consider joining James’ team if there’s even a remote chance that he can join them. That is, unless there are other teams that fit him better. In that case, this next team might be a better fit.
3. Houston Rockets
Chris Paul, James Harden and Clint Capella could soon be joined by George if he decides that he really wants to win a championship. This team is ready to sign him if he will give them the time of day.
Imagine adding an All-Star player like Paul George in the Rockets lineup that was good enough to take the top seed in the Western Conference this season with a 65-17 record. It will be eerily like Durant joining the Warriors in 2016.
The Rockets are loaded with talent and someone with George’s skills can only make them that much better. If they can’t do it this year, the Rockets will almost certainly take down the Warriors eventually next season with George operating at the starting small forward spot.
If he doesn’t get too sentimental about going to L.A., George should strongly consider going to Houston if they make him an offer.
2. Philadelphia 76ers
If there’s one team other than the Lakers that fits George’s skills to a tee, it’s the Philadelphia 76ers. Not only do they have the right players at the right positions, they also have cap room to sign him to a max contract without having to sacrifice any of their key players.
Rookie sensation Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid need a player of George’s caliber — and specifically with his abilities — who can create for himself and also be ready for kick outs when double teamed inside. Plus, George is an excellent perimeter defender who can stay on his man without needing much help on defense when guarding his man.
In fact, George is a better fit for the Sixers than Cleveland’s sought after King and soon-to-be free agent. James and Simmons play the same position and need the ball in their hands. You have to wonder how the two can co-exist on the floor since Simmons rarely shoots outside the paint, a necessity for those playing alongside Cavs’ star.
That wouldn’t be a problem for George who doesn’t need to change his game to fit this team. Simmons can have the freedom to orchestrate the offense on his own while George feeds off of him.
The Sixers have championship aspirations with Simmons and Embiid, who are still learning the game and could benefit from the wisdom of a veteran like George.
Philly is loaded with weapons from just about every position, but only if they can re-sign J.J. Redick, Marco Belinelli, and Ersan Ilyasova. They still have Dario Saric, Markelle Fultz, and Robert Covington, though.
Put George on this team and you’ve got a team that could challenge for the Eastern Conference championship and maybe even reach the Finals next year. If George is interested in championships, this is the team he should go to.
1. Los Angeles Lakers
It’s no secret that Magic Johnson, the Los Angeles Lakers president of basketball operations, wants George and LeBron James to play for his team. They have the cap space to sign both of them to max contracts in free agency and George gets to play in front of his friends and family.
According to a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, “The Lakers plan hasn’t changed. They want to get both of them.”
Everything points to George biting the bait with the Lakers regardless of what decision James makes this summer. He’ll be joined by a very young, but talented team on the court this season, with Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart. Julius Randle is a restricted free agent and only time will tell if the Lakers can afford to re-sign him outright or match an offer from an opposing team.
Make no mistake about it: George desperately wants to play for the Lakers and it would take an extremely insane pitch from another team for him not to play where he has always wanted to play for some time now.
Though George wants to win a championship soon, he’s really more concerned about going home and playing for his hometown. The recently-retired Bryant is a huge influence on George and he could very well end up getting his jersey number retired alongside his idol by the time he retires.
The reason why he’s with the Thunder right now is because he wasn’t going to stay in Indiana once he becomes a free agent. He wants to go home, and this summer, Johnson will be in his ear talking sweet nothings to him and giving him all the right reasons to play in L.A.
Johnson can be very persuasive and it’s doubtful that George will be able to resist all the incentives that the Laker great will be throwing his way.
Even if the Lakers get snubbed by LeBron, they can pursue Cousins instead and that’s not such a bad deal at all. Having George and Cousins as the team’s free agent hauls this summer is just as good as getting George and James.
Unless something comes out of left field and blows George away, there’s no way he’ll go anywhere else other than in the City of Angels, specifically with the Lakers franchise.
Follow Us
Subscribe