The Los Angeles Lakers and the Cleveland Cavaliers may have themselves a bidding war for Paul George.
Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer reported on Sunday that the Lakers are expected to enter George trade talks if the Cavs near a deal for the four-time All-Star.
Two NBA sources expect Lakers to parachute into Paul George talks if the Cavs are closing in on a deal. Unclear if #2 would be on the table.
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) June 19, 2017
The 27-year-old George has reportedly informed the Pacers that he plans to leave in 2018 free agency, spurring the team to begin fielding trade calls for him. The Cavs have been one of the specifically-mentioned suitors.
At the surface, it might not seem like much sense for the Lakers to give anything up for George when he apparently wants to sign with them anyway after next season. But a year spent in championship contention with the Cavs next to LeBron James could very feasibly be enough to change George’s mind and convince him to sign long-term in Cleveland instead. We know what the Lakers don’t want to give up for George, but the presence of the Cavs in the PG-13 raffle has almost certainly thrown a wet wrench into their plans.
