Lakers could trade for PG after all?
Even though it was originally reported that the Lakers wouldn’t look to trade for Paul George given his clear intent to sign with them in the summer of 2018, it’s possible that all the trade chatter spooked them somewhat as it was reported today that Los Angeles is indeed in talks with the Indiana Pacers to acquire their disgruntled star.
League sources tell @RamonaShelburne and me: The Pacers and Lakers have engaged on Paul George trade talks in advance of Thursday's draft.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 20, 2017
This may very well be the reason why the Lakers acquired the 27th pick from the Nets as they could use it to sweeten the pot in a potential trade with the Pacers. That isn’t a certainty by any means, but one thing is clear – the Lakers are planning to acquire Paul George soon, regardless of whether it’s this year or next.
This affects the Jazz first and foremost in the same way the Butler rumors do. George is yet another similar player to Hayward and his landing spot could potentially have some bearing on the Jazz All-Star’s decision.
Beyond that, however, some Jazz fans have speculated that Utah could make a run at a one-year Paul George rental themselves and if such is the case, there is an argument to be made that the Jazz could outbid the Lakers with their combination of young tradeable players and first round draft picks.
That seems like a stretch to say the least, but it is worthy of consideration.