Report: Celtics unwilling to give up top assets for Paul George

Paul George has made it clear that he intends to sign with the Lakers next summer, perhaps holding the Celtics back from offering better assets for him.

The Boston Celtics are a team on the verge of competing for an NBA title after falling in five games to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals this past season.

One of the ways that the Celtics are looking to increase those odds is by possibly trading for Indiana Pacers All-Star forward Paul George. However, Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald is reporting that general manager Danny Ainge is still unwilling to depart with his top assets in exchange for the 27-year-old.

According to multiple sources, the Celts are willing to deal players and draft picks to the Pacers, while retaining the right to the most critical pieces of their future draft arsenal. George can be a free agent at the end of the 2017-18 season, and with Indiana having given no permission to explore whether he’d be amenable to staying beyond that, there is clearly risk involved that would have to be reflected in any trade offer.

Ainge's tight grip on his top trade assets that include several first-round picks over the next few seasons has severely limited their ability to make any deal for proven superstar talent. It prevented the team from acquiring All-Star forward Jimmy Butler during the 2017 NBA Draft last Thursday as the team was unwilling to give up this year's No.3 overall pick or their 2018 first-round pick from the Brooklyn Nets in a trade with the Chicago Bulls.

It's clear that the Celtics hold a high value on their first-round draft picks, but if the organization is truly in the win-now mentality this will have to involve biting the bullet a bit on a few of those selections. George is an elite player in the league that is in the prime of his career that would extend Boston's window for being one of the top teams in the league.

That said, all of this may ultimately come down to the Celtics ability to land Gordon Hayward in free agency as George has a strong desire to play with him. There are many factors in play here, but if Boston doesn't budge on their stance regarding their top assets that could mean missing out on the opportunity to add another elite player to the mix.