Paul George Traded To OKC

Why the Pacers aren't the only big losers in Paul George trade

https://sports.yahoo.com/pacers-arent-big-loser-paul-george-deal-051245587.html

Ben Rohrbach
Jul 1, 2017 7:18 AM

Across the NBA on Friday night, for the teams not involved in the trade derby for Paul George, the news of where he went and how little he was traded for generated the same reaction – confusion and disbelief.
“Who knows?” texted one Eastern Conference executive.

Oklahoma City acquired George, a top-10 talent in the league, by shipping one nice starter, guard Victor Oladipo, and one young prospect, big man Domantas Sabonis. And … that was it.

In one quick swipe, Oklahoma City reasserted itself into the championship chase – still not equal to Golden State, but at least it can see the Warriors from here.

Meanwhile, the league was left asking one question: Where exactly was Boston? Armed with a slew of first-round draft picks and a roster full of young talent, the Celtics could easily have crafted a deal with something better than Oladipo and Sabonis.

Oladipo is a good player, a proven 16-point-a-night scorer entering his fifth season in the league. As a former Indiana Hoosier, he is sure to be popular in Indy, which will need all the fans it can get as it enters a rebuild. He’s also being paid a sizable $84 million over the next four years.

Sabonis is 21 years old, stands 6-foot-11 and averaged 20.1 minutes as a rookie out of Gonzaga. He didn’t show much ability to shoot (39.9 percent) or score (5.9 ppg) his first year, but who knows?

This isn’t necessarily Indiana’s fault. The Pacers weren’t in much of a position to play hardball. George had already informed them he would leave as a free agent after the 2017-18 season. A Southern California native and Fresno State product, his preferred destination is reportedly the Los Angeles Lakers.

So George, for all his ability, was a potential rental with no long-term guarantees, even though, under NBA rules, by acquiring him now, you also acquire the ability to pay him more to stay. As such, Indiana was always getting pennies on the dollar. Maybe the Pacers could have remained patient a bit longer and waited to see if someone got desperate, but there just wasn’t a big enough market, or enough teams, willing to take the risk.

Did they have to get this few pennies though?

Couldn’t the Celtics have sweetened the pot? Armed with so many tradable assets – seven first-round picks in the next two drafts – Boston is in position to make a huge move. Utah’s Gordon Hayward is set to meet with the Celtics on Sunday, a chance for the All-Star to reunite with his college coach at Butler, Brad Stevens.

Add George and Hayward into a mix that just finished with the best record in the Eastern Conference and you have something that might actually make Cleveland nervous, a juggernaut growing for the future.

Yet nothing got done.

Reports in the Boston media the past couple of days claimed that Indiana was seeking two of Boston’s projected lottery picks and at least one starter. That can’t possibly be true, not if Indiana willingly took one sure starter for George.

General manager Danny Ainge is clearly hesitant to move his picks in a trade right now, whether it was for George or earlier in the week for Chicago’s Jimmy Butler, who went to Minnesota for a package the Celtics could have easily matched or exceeded.

Instead it was OKC, stepping outside of the media buzz to score George. The Thunder can now team him with Russell Westbrook, giving the club a second star desperately needed since Kevin Durant bolted to Golden State in last year’s free-agent derby. George may not be Durant, but he’s a reasonable stand-in.

That doesn’t put the Thunder in Golden State’s class, at least on paper, but it does make things interesting. OKC isn’t left just watching Westbrook put up historic numbers for another season. A year after having the carpet pulled out from under them, the Thunder are as much of a contender for the title as anyone else not playing in Oakland.

If George goes to L.A. next July 1 and it all blows up on them, then so be it. You can find guys such as Oladipo and Sabonis. Thunder general manager Sam Presti rolled the dice. If George decides to stay, they got a complete steal. If nothing else, they were playing aggressively.

In Boston, the wait for the big offseason continues. Butler is gone without the Celtics making a concerted push. Now George is too. Blake Griffin re-signed with the Clippers on Friday night, too.

It’s Gordon Hayward or bust now for this summer. Danny Ainge is sitting with a pocketful of No. 1 picks and unwilling to deal them for proven stars. Oklahoma City appreciates that.


My comments.  That last paragraph is bullshit.  It takes two to make a deal.  Danny offered the 2017 Nets pick and more back in February, and Larry Bird blinked.  

I am glad this particular "opportunity" is over.  Imagine the disruption for the team, wondering all season if Paul George will re-sign or not.  

Now I am reading that an extension was impossible all along?  Good on you, Danny, for not caving in to the fanatic cacophony, clambering for him to cash in his chips for this temporary fix.

gyso

Next season when Paul heads to OKC and takes Westbrook with him they will be talking about how stupid OKC was to trade for Paul

OKC got out from under the Oladipo contract, so I'm sure that they aren't worrying about losing PG next season. They knew what they were doing.

They will have a good run this next season. For a small market team, that sounds like a win for them.

gyso

Yeah they're both going to LA

Westbrook is getting ready to sign a new max deal with OKC it was reported yesterday.

A lot of this is Monday morning quarterbacking.

Back at the trade deadline, when Danny offered the Earth, Moon and the Stars to Larry, Larry didn't know that Paul George was going to leave the following year.  That wasn't known until 6/19, 3 days before draft day., so Larry probably thought he could re-sign his star at the time.

Why didn't Kevin Pritchard trade with Danny?  Now THAT'S a mystery.  Even if you are not enamored with Crowder and/or Bradley the draft picks Danny was offering were great picks.  From our perspective we're better off he didn't, but from an Indiana Pacer fan's perspective it is perplexing, to say the least.

Victor Oladipo is a good player, but $21M/year for another 4 years good?  $84M is a ton of commitment to a player who has never made an All-Star, never made an All-Defensive Team, never even been on a team that went deep into the playoffs.

I wouldn't mind picking up Sabonis for a song.  Probably won't happen, Kevin Pritchard is probably being burned in effigy in Indianapolis for the trade so far as it is.  If he gave up Sabonis for our next year's first (not Brooklyn's, ours, stay calm) the torches and pitchforks would come out.  On the other hand, bad decisions often come in bunches...


bob


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From Woj:

Pacers wanted Crowder, Smart and multiple 1st Rounders from Celtics.

Boston wasn't ready to close deal before signing Hayward.
7:26 AM - 1 Jul 2017


bob
MY NOTE:  So they went for Oladipo and Sabonis instead of waiting a few days for Hayward to decide?!  Wow.  I.  Just.  Do. NOT.  Understand.  Kevin Pritchard.


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This is not the first or the last time we will see this.

I really do not believe the trade packages that were supposedly offered. They are all over the place.

I think Boston fans should be happy that we do not have to spend the next 12 months worrying about PG13 resigning. Very little assets are worth a one year rental unless the piece you are getting takes you to the championship even for a year.

I am very pleased with the diversity of SF wings that Danny has accumulated.

dboss

bobheckler wrote:A lot of this is Monday morning quarterbacking.

Back at the trade deadline, when Danny offered the Earth, Moon and the Stars to Larry, Larry didn't know that Paul George was going to leave the following year.  That wasn't known until 6/19, 3 days before draft day., so Larry probably thought he could re-sign his star at the time.

Why didn't Kevin Pritchard trade with Danny?  Now THAT'S a mystery.  Even if you are not enamored with Crowder and/or Bradley the draft picks Danny was offering were great picks.  From our perspective we're better off he didn't, but from an Indiana Pacer fan's perspective it is perplexing, to say the least.

Victor Oladipo is a good player, but $21M/year for another 4 years good?  $84M is a ton of commitment to a player who has never made an All-Star, never made an All-Defensive Team, never even been on a team that went deep into the playoffs.

I wouldn't mind picking up Sabonis for a song.  Probably won't happen, Kevin Pritchard is probably being burned in effigy in Indianapolis for the trade so far as it is.  If he gave up Sabonis for our next year's first (not Brooklyn's, ours, stay calm) the torches and pitchforks would come out.  On the other hand, bad decisions often come in bunches...


bob


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Not to mention Oladipo was a big disappointment last season. Pritchard is being roasted here, I can't imagine what they thinking in Indianapolis.

Bob. getting Sabonis would ruin our plan to be the NBA's first all under 6'9" team, once we get rid of Horford that is.

Meanwhile, back in the real world, Plan Y's foot is getting better and Plan Z is getting ready to tear up the summer league. 7-11 is open for business. and Abdel...but where is Theis?

mulcogiseng wrote:Meanwhile, back in the real world, Plan Y's foot is getting better and Plan Z is getting ready to tear up the summer league. 7-11 is open for business. and Abdel...but where is Theis?

I am surprised that he is not attending summer league. It has to be over money, contracts, CBA stuff?

gyso

gyso,
my understanding is that he had surgery on both feet to remove bone spurs on the top of his feet.

it's a shame he isn't in summer league but he is getting better and is expected to be ready for training camp if that is what ends up happening.

gyso wrote:

mulcogiseng wrote:Meanwhile, back in the real world, Plan Y's foot is getting better and Plan Z is getting ready to tear up the summer league. 7-11 is open for business. and Abdel...but where is Theis?

I am surprised that he is not attending summer league.  It has to be over money, contracts, CBA stuff?


gyso

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German forward Daniel Theis has agreed to a two-year deal with the Boston Celtics, league sources tell ESPN. http://www.espn.com/espn/now?nowId=21-0672858214450077500-4 …
10:38 AM - 1 Jul 2017



bob



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mulcogiseng wrote:gyso,
my understanding is that he had surgery on both feet to remove bone spurs on the top of his feet.

it's a shame he isn't in summer league but he is getting better and is expected to be ready for training camp if that is what ends up happening.

I meant Theis.

kdp59 wrote:well...it sure could have been interesting to see Butler AND George here.

BUtler went for Lavine (Combo G), Dunn (young PG) #7 pick.

hard to think Bradley and #3 pick isn't equal, throw in Rozier and it certainly is.

George for Oladipo ( SG) and Sabonis (Young Big).

seems like Crowder one of LA or Nets pick and Memphis pick wouldn't have trumped that deal.

anyone who thinks a roster with George, Butler, IT, Horford, Smart, Jaylen, Kelly (?) and Jerebko back, Zizic, Yabusele, #16 pick isn't better than whatever Danny puts together this year.....need to take off the Danny goggles.

Blake gone

Hayward...maybe?

I think Danny best get on the phone to Millsap's agent soon myself.

So, is next year the only year  that Danny Ainge should be thinking about? Does it really any matter whether George and Butler would have made us slightly  better? Sheesh.I`ll take Jaylen , Tatum , Rozier , the future picks , Crowder and Bradley over those 2 every day of the week  and twice on Sunday.

I'm just glad we still have all our potential lottery picks

cowens/oldschool wrote:I'm just glad we still have all our potential lottery picks

And if these lottery picks end up being #1 and #2 in next year's draft...

fierce wrote:

cowens/oldschool wrote:I'm just glad we still have all our potential lottery picks

And if these lottery picks end up being #1 and #2 in next year's draft...

exactly what I'm thinking....as KG would say anything is possible.

I'm thinking Tatum is going to be a player and we got even another potential lottery pick from Philly, what a clever wheeler and dealer Danny is...!!!!

cowens/oldschool wrote:

fierce wrote:

cowens/oldschool wrote:I'm just glad we still have all our potential lottery picks

And if these lottery picks end up being #1 and #2 in next year's draft...

exactly what I'm thinking....as KG would say anything is possible.

I'm thinking Tatum is going to be a player and we got even another potential lottery pick from Philly, what a clever wheeler and dealer Danny is...!!!!

Cow

We just keep adding wings. How many wings do we need?

It is like when you order a 10 piece but should have went with the 20.



dboss

dboss wrote:

cowens/oldschool wrote:

fierce wrote:

cowens/oldschool wrote:I'm just glad we still have all our potential lottery picks

And if these lottery picks end up being #1 and #2 in next year's draft...

exactly what I'm thinking....as KG would say anything is possible.

I'm thinking Tatum is going to be a player and we got even another potential lottery pick from Philly, what a clever wheeler and dealer Danny is...!!!!

Cow

We just keep adding wings.  How many wings do we need?

It is like when you order a 10 piece but should have went with the 20.



dboss

well the ultimate wing combo was Jordan and Pippen, we had success as a team this past year when Jaylen started a bunch of games as a raw rookie and this year he's gonna be a lot better, either way in this offense the wings are interchangeable and there must be a reason both our guys got drafted at no 3. I don't expect them to dominate overnight, but I trust the process that these guys will be all star level in a matter of time.