Paul George Trade
Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
It seems inevitable that Paul George will be traded before the 2017 NBA Draft. Which teams are mostly likely to make a deal for the Indiana Pacers' All-Star forward?
At this moment, all signs point to Paul George being traded in the very near future. After informing the Indiana Pacers he wouldn't re-sign, the franchise essentially set out to find the best deal possible. That means a trade could be coming soon, likely before Thursday's 2017 NBA Draft.
There's just one problem. It's believed George will sign with the Los Angeles Lakers when he hits the open market in 2018. If that's the case, trading for him means he'd be nothing more than a one-year rental. That's essentially limited the list of potential suitors to contenders who need that one final piece to give them a shot at the Larry O'Brien trophy.
Some teams may be hoping they can coax George into re-signing by showing him what it's like to play for a contender. It may be more appealing for him to stay with a team capable of winning more than 40 games, especially with the Lakers still in the middle of a rebuild.
In the end, though, it seems as if PG-13 joining the Lakers is a done deal. So again, we go back to trying to figure out who's willing to send Indiana significant assets for one year with George on the roster. It's a risky move to make, but one that could yield significant results. It may even be enough to overcome the Golden State Warriors for a ring.
With that in mind, let's take a look at the five most likely landing spots for George. With a deal likely to be agreed upon in the very near future, you'll want to be aware of all of the potential players in this bidding war.
Paul George Trade
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Los Angeles Clippers
The only reason the Clippers are even on this list is that they're based in Los Angeles. George is a native of the area, having played his early basketball in Palmdale, CA — about 1-2 hours driving time from Staples Center, depending on traffic.
While George seems set on playing for the Lakers, there's a strong possibility his mind could be changed. Maybe the next-best option to return to SoCal will suffice for him, especially since the Clippers currently offer the better route to a ring.
Again, let's see what Sporting News' Sean Deveney has to say on the Clippers' place in the George trade talks:
"The Clippers have slipped in their status as contenders, but they're not risk-averse and can get George to Los Angeles, if not with the Lakers. The Clippers could work out a three-team trade to accommodate a guy like Redick or Griffin."
The biggest issue with joining the Clippers is they'd likely need to part with at least one of their stars. Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and J.J. Redick are all scheduled to hit the open market this offseason. It's not going to be easy re-signing them, especially considering all three are already receiving interest from potential suitors. However, if one leaves, it could open the space for the Clippers to trade for George.
This one is also a longshot, but that doesn't mean the Clippers shouldn't at least kick the tires. At least they could get George back to Los Angeles, where he apparently wants to be. For now, they appear to be the more realistic contender compared to the Lakers. That could change as soon as next offseason, though.
Paul George Trade
Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
Washington Wizards
Every year it seems the Washington Wizards are mentioned as sleepers to steal the Eastern Conference crown. And then, by season's end, we're all brought back to reality where the Cleveland Cavaliers reign supreme.
While that may be true, the addition of George would certainly give them a significant boost heading into 2017. It appears they agree with that assertion, because they've also entered the conversation to acquire the Pacers' superstar forward.
Here's what NBA.com's David Aldridge had to say about Washington joining the mix:
"Washington, to a lesser degree, could fit the bill, too, and the Wizards are looking for a way to make a George deal happen. They don't have a player of [Kevin] Love's caliber to put in a deal; they're not moving Bradley Beal after the 23-year-old just had his best NBA season. Playing alongside Washington's backcourt of Beal and John Wall, after all, would be the selling point for George in D.C."
Aldridge also posited on the possibility of pulling off a sign-and-trade with Otto Porter Jr. However, in doing so, he essentially proved that it's very unlikely that would ever come to fruition. If the Wizards are really interested in acquiring George, it would likely mean having to part with significant pieces and draft assets to do so.
In the end, though, it's a more intriguing situation for PG-13 to land in. He'd be able to play with one of the better backcourts in the NBA. Wall is more than capable of creating open looks for George, who wouldn't be forced to carry the team like he was in Indiana.
Despite that, don't get your hopes too high Wizards fans. At this point, D.C. is little more than a fallback plan compared to the top three potential landing spots for George.
Paul George Trade
Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
Boston Celtics
Here is the first of the three real contenders for George — the Boston Celtics.
Right now, the Celtics appear to be in the mood for wheeling and dealing. They already traded back from No. 1 overall in the 2017 NBA Draft, adding a future first round pick in the process. With so many draft assets at their disposal, it's not crazy to imagine them swinging a trade for a star.
In fact, it makes plenty of sense. This is already one of the best rosters in the NBA, but it's missing that one extra superstar who can lift them above the Cavaliers. George would absolutely fit the bill, and it's not like the Celtics don't have plenty of trade chips. In fact, they currently own more first round picks in the next three drafts than most teams have total picks.
Would they really be willing to part with a couple of them to rent George for one year, though? According to Basketball Insiders' Steve Kyler, that may not be the case.
Was told Celtics not interested in giving up anything for one year rental. https://t.co/KlEpArFMmb
— Steve Kyler (@stevekylerNBA) June 18, 2017
If they were to part with significant pieces, they'd likely prefer to acquire someone like Jimmy Butler. At least in that situation, they wouldn't likely watch their new player depart a year later.
Still, it doesn't mean Boston is out the equation yet. I'm guessing they're pretty desperate to prove they can win the East outside of the regular season. After the way Cleveland disposed of them during this past postseason, they should at least entertain the idea of acquiring George — especially if it means keeping him away from the Cavaliers.
Speaking of which, that leads us to the next team on this list of potential landing spots for PG-13…
Paul George Trade
John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Cleveland Cavaliers
After losing the 2017 NBA Finals, the Cavaliers seem to be in panic mode. They know the current roster can't compete with the Warriors, and LeBron James isn't getting any younger. With LBJ rumored to be considering a departure in 2018, Cleveland needs to make a splash.
There have been a couple of options mentioned for the Cavaliers. They were apparently making a push for Butler on Monday, but discussions appear to have got GM David Griffin canned. So it only seems appropriate to turn their attention to another feasible option.
Yes, I'm talking about George, who the Pacers reportedly called Cleveland about. Here's this from ESPN's Dave McMenamin:
"After superstar Paul George informed the Pacers in no uncertain terms that he plans to leave the team, Indiana began shopping George's services this weekend, including making a phone call to the Cleveland Cavaliers, sources confirmed to ESPN on Sunday."
So why are the Cavaliers the top potential landing spot? Well, there are two reasons.
The first is that, according to McMenamin, they'd be willing to trade for him without assurances he'd re-sign next offseason. That's a large reason why some teams aren't at all interested, even if means renting one of the NBA's top players.
The other part is that they need that one final push. If they're going to convince LeBron to stay, winning a championship would be a great start — especially after the Griffin debacle. Having George on the roster this upcoming campaign would help get the job done, even if it meant James being forced down to the 4-spot.
Someone's got to make the move before Thursday's draft. The Cavaliers have the assets to entice the Pacers into making a deal, and they've got the need. Maybe winning a ring with Cleveland would make playing for an in-progress Lakers team even easier for George.
Paul George Trade
Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Los Angeles Lakers
Not long ago, the Lakers were rumored to be more than happy to wait until next offseason to sign George. However, based on the latest word from around the league, parting with their young assets isn't an issue for Magic Johnson and co.
Here's some noteworthy reporting from Aldridge:
At this point, the assumption is the Lakers are trying to part with either Julius Randle or Jordan Clarkson as part of the deal. Randle is a free agent next offseason, and will likely cost more than Los Angeles wants to pay to retain him. Clarkson is already making big bucks, so parting with him would help the Lakers create some significant space under the cap.
Either way, all of this comes as a bit of a surprise. It would be ideal for Magic to wait until next offseason to land George, allowing the Lakers to retain all of their young assets (apart from D'Angelo Russell, obviously). A trade in the next day would defeat the purpose of that, potentially ruining the franchise's chances of turning things around in the near future.
Still, the Lakers are currently atop this list for a reason. They're making moves to create room for George, as evidenced by Tuesday's decision to send Russell to the Brooklyn Nets. I'd expect their efforts to continue all the way until the beginning of the 2017 NBA Draft, possibly leading to PG-13 getting his wish a year early.
More from Hoops Habit
This article originally appeared on 
