Paul George is reportedly already recruiting players to a team he's not even on yet

https://www.yahoo.com/news/paul-george-reportedly-already-recruiting-185442549.html



Paul George is reportedly already recruiting players to a team he's not even on yet



Scott Davis,Business Insider UK 18 hours ago




Maddie Meyer/Getty



Paul George is the hottest trade target in the NBA at the moment, but from the sounds of it, he already has his mind made up about his ultimate destination.

It's been widely reported and rumored that George wishes to join his hometown Los Angeles Lakers in 2018 when he becomes a free agent.

That desire reportedly led him to have his agents tell the Indiana Pacers, his current employer, that he'll leave in 2018.

The Pacers have been shopping around and teams are reportedly still trying to trade for George, hoping that one year of success could convince him to re-sign next summer. However, George, it appears, is already planning years ahead for the Lakers.

Kelenna Azubuike, a former NBA guard and current analyst for NBC Sports Bay Area, told 95.7 The Game on Tuesday that George has already reached out to Klay Thompson to join him on the Lakers when Thompson is a free agent — in 2019.

Tweet Embed: https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/879721276742316032 "He has definitely has put in a call to Klay Thompson and he would like to play with him in LA." -Kelenna Azubuike on Paul George & LA.


The Lakers have grand plans in free agency in 2018, clearing out the necessary cap space to sign two stars outright. George is presumably one target, while rumors of LeBron James eyeing the Lakers have been going around — perhaps he is the second target.

For the Lakers to sign both, they may have to move more players off their payroll to clear cap space. To then try to sign Klay Thompson in 2019 would be almost impossible, barring an unforeseen spike in the salary cap.

The NBA world was surprised when it was reported that Draymond Green reached out to Kevin Durant immediately following the Warriors' 2016 Finals loss to recruit him to the team. If the news of George reaching out to Thompson is any indication, players may be scheming their future super-teams well in advance.


bob
MY NOTE:  Be careful, Danny, be very careful...


.

I doubt this is where Boston is going anyway.

It looks like the next critical mission is bigs.

I think Zizic is going to be a stud.

If there is even a tiny bit of truth to George recruiting guys to LA already, I have to completely drop any and all thoughts of trading for him if I am Ainge.

This is so wrong. Who is running the NBA??? I have said before and will say now, I feel these type of actions are going to ruin some teams. I know there are some out there that will disagree with me, but it is the way I feel. How does he go back to Indiana and play this year. If I were a fan, I would not waste my money on him.

I Would stay completely away from a player who has made it clear he wants to be elsewhere. Move on from him, why waste the energy.

On the other hand - he's giving the Pacers a years notice that he wants to move on - a chance for the Pacers to at least get something in return. As a future free agent he is no longer bound by the rules of the early years - serfdom is a thing of the past.

swish

RosalieTCeltics wrote:This is so wrong.  Who is running the NBA??? I have said before and will say now, I feel these type of actions are going to ruin some teams.  I know there are some out there that will disagree with me, but it is the way I feel.  How does he go back to Indiana and play this year. If I were a fan, I would not waste my money on him.  

I Would stay completely away from a player who has made it clear he wants to be elsewhere.  Move on from him, why waste the energy.  

There is no team loyalty but at the same time there is little loyalty to the players. I do not think there is anyway to stop the trend of players putting teams together.

Indiana will have to move him but they also have their hands tied given the LAL connection. Indiana will end up with less compensation than they would like. They need to accept that fact and move on. Boston needs to steer clear or else they will be the team that gets screwed.

dboss

swish wrote:On the other hand  - he's giving the  Pacers a years notice that he wants to move on - a chance for the Pacers to at least get something in return. As a future free agent he is no longer bound by the rules of the early years  -  serfdom is a thing of the past.

  swish

Although he gave them a notice he is preventing them from being able to trade him for comparable assets. DA does not make the trade for KG unless KG agrees to an extension. It will require the same agreement for Boston to make the trade.

This reminds me of the melo situation when he forced a trade to play for NYK. However at least Denver got well compensated. Apparently LA is limited in what they can send back and Indy is entrenched.

dboss

dboss wrote:

swish wrote:On the other hand  - he's giving the  Pacers a years notice that he wants to move on - a chance for the Pacers to at least get something in return. As a future free agent he is no longer bound by the rules of the early years  -  serfdom is a thing of the past.

  swish

Although he gave them a notice he is preventing them from being able to trade him for comparable assets.  DA does not make the trade for KG unless KG agrees to an extension.  It will require the same agreement for Boston to make the trade.

This reminds me of the melo situation when he forced a trade to play for NYK.  However at least Denver got well compensated.  Apparently LA is limited in what they can send back and Indy is entrenched.

dboss

Still better than the possibility of getting zilch.

swish

swish wrote:

dboss wrote:

swish wrote:On the other hand  - he's giving the  Pacers a years notice that he wants to move on - a chance for the Pacers to at least get something in return. As a future free agent he is no longer bound by the rules of the early years  -  serfdom is a thing of the past.

  swish

Although he gave them a notice he is preventing them from being able to trade him for comparable assets.  DA does not make the trade for KG unless KG agrees to an extension.  It will require the same agreement for Boston to make the trade.

This reminds me of the melo situation when he forced a trade to play for NYK.  However at least Denver got well compensated.  Apparently LA is limited in what they can send back and Indy is entrenched.

dboss

 Still better than the possibility of getting zilch.

  swish

I agree but too bad this went public.

you are right dboss. The sports shows here in Boston are obsessed with this They spent three hours last night saying " well, what about this, what about that...who will come
who won't....what will Danny's legacy be if he fails at this" IT IS CRAZY! I wish it
never came out.

cowens/oldschool wrote:I think Zizic is going to be a stud.

No doubt in my mind.

Rmbone wrote:

cowens/oldschool wrote:I think Zizic is going to be a stud.

No doubt in my mind.

I hope you guys are right because we need one. Or maybe two if the German player also works out.

Berlin-T

Boy, if he is, we will forget about running around looking for a starting big

RosalieTCeltics wrote:This is so wrong.  Who is running the NBA??? I have said before and will say now, I feel these type of actions are going to ruin some teams.  I know there are some out there that will disagree with me, but it is the way I feel.  How does he go back to Indiana and play this year. If I were a fan, I would not waste my money on him.  

I Would stay completely away from a player who has made it clear he wants to be elsewhere.  Move on from him, why waste the energy.  

Its a no win situation for PG. If he didnt let Indy in on his plan and blindsides them, He's a jerk and a selfish bastard who only cares about himself.
He let Indy in on his plan and to some he is still a jerk and a selfish bastard who only cares about himself!
Far as im concerned, if im an Indy fan, im Cool with it. At least he told em up front and at least they'll get something.

RosalieTCeltics wrote:you are right dboss.  The sports shows here in Boston are obsessed with this   They spent three hours last night saying "  well, what about this, what about that...who will come
who won't....what will Danny's legacy be if he fails at this"    IT IS CRAZY!  I wish it
never came out.

I cant stand to watch these shows and right now I refuse to. Love Holly but unfortunately, the others have a mouth and a pair of ears and are allowed to speak.

Ktronic1 wrote:

RosalieTCeltics wrote:This is so wrong.  Who is running the NBA??? I have said before and will say now, I feel these type of actions are going to ruin some teams.  I know there are some out there that will disagree with me, but it is the way I feel.  How does he go back to Indiana and play this year. If I were a fan, I would not waste my money on him.  

I Would stay completely away from a player who has made it clear he wants to be elsewhere.  Move on from him, why waste the energy.  

Its a no win situation for PG. If he didnt let Indy in on his plan and blindsides them, He's a jerk and a selfish bastard who only cares about himself.
He let Indy in on his plan and to some he is still a jerk and a selfish bastard who only cares about himself!
Far as im concerned, if im an Indy fan, im Cool with it. At least he told em up front and at least they'll get something.

It was good for him to share his future plans with the front office. It allowed them to get a plan in place.

It was bad for someone in the front office to share this information with the press, if that is how it went down. Maybe they were looking for a scapegoat, focusing everyone on PG instead of the front office that couldn't surround him with a successful team. It happens a lot when a star player leaves a team for greener pastures.

gyso