Since he now has publicly said he wants to leave Indiana in free agency, the Pacers would probably trade him on the cheap but not many would trade for a probable one year rental. Would you? Let's say an Ariza/Lou and maybe a pick gets a deal done, is it worth the risk? Do you have faith in the Rockets ability to persuade him to sign long term?
George has already said he won't play for anyone unless he gets to wear #13, so we might first need a thread discussing whether you'd make Harden switch numbers. But that begs the question, does it deserve its own thread? So, maybe we first need a thread discussing whether a thread about Harden switching numbers for George deserves its own thread.
Yes. Do whatever it takes to get him here and trust the infrastructure/organization to keep him long term.
Of course I do, that's a no brainer. I'd trade for PG and then go to Chris Paul in FA like These are the type of moves the Rockets have to make if they have any hope whatsoever of winning a chip. Guys like Millsap, Gallinari, Ibaka, Lowry, Simmons, etc aren't gonna do sh*t.
Ariza/Lou and a pick should not get it done even if he's a super cheap rental. Cousins still got the 2016 6th pick in Hield and the 2017 10th pick for a cheap rental sale in Cousins. We are talking Gordon, Beverley, Dekker, multiple 1st. I'd still do it at that.
No. Wrong package. Either expiring contracts for expiring contracts. Or if we're gonna send them picks/young talent, they gotta take Anderson.
Well I'd expect a 3 team deal, what is the incentive for Lou/Ariza? Two old vets who the Pacers will value as nothing. Might as well sit on George then to take back absolutely nothing. I see a either a deal sending them valuable pieces (Gordon/Bev) which they flip on their own, or a deal where we send valuable pieces to a 3rd team with valuable picks/young player who needs vets like Gordon/Bev/Ariza more. Which would be who? Pistons, Twolves
If Cavs offer Kevin Love for PG we are out. but i looks they wont so we can compete Gordon+ Ariza+ 2018 first? Gordon + Bev
i agree with your thought process. either scenario works, which means we have enough to get him. if he wants to go to a winner we're at the top of his options. warriors, cavs, spurs aren't in pursuit. we're the next best team. the pacers like ego since he went to college there. they need bev since they're losing teague to free agency, plus with bev's quote about hearing the rumors and then he started following the pacers.. etc.. but we'll have to add dekker and a first to get it done. i'd go all in to get it done on draft night. that way we go into free agency as the #1 destination. cp3, blake, and hayward will have to consider forming a big 3 here.
Pacers get: 2018 1st Rounder One of the 2017 2nd Rounders we draft Sam Dekker Lou Williams Ryan Anderson Rockets get: Paul George Salary filler Pacers get TWO white players, what's not to like? Then sign Chris Paul 2017-18 Rotation: Harden/EG CP3/PatBev PG-13* (let Harden and PG both wear #13, it will confuse the opponent) Ariza/Harrell Capela/Nene
100% do it. If he leaves, you free up cap space for a max guy, but who says he leaves? Players don't like to give up money as a general rule. If we contend, he wouldn't bolt, no matter what he is saying now, Indiana isn't contending anything. Also, you shed long term cap guys on the decline, so, win/win. Giving up late 1sts means nothing in the grand scheme of things. Picks 28-30 never give the goods.
I'd trade anyone beside Harden. Pat Bev, or Capela. But I don't think anything we have would get it done. In a straight up trade with Indiana, I'd say our best offer would be: EG, Dekker, Harrell, 1st-rounder, and something out of rights to Gentile, Onuaku, 2nd rounder for George EG is an Indy native but won't win them many games which they'd prefer. However, even if Indy did lose leverage they'd rather go with a Kevin Love or another teams higher draft pick than anything our offer included. We could sweeten the offer by throwing in an expiring like Ariza and take Monta off their hands or another contract they'd like to rid from.
I'd trade Harden straight up for Paul George. If we can trade Harden and get PG, and somehow finesse CP3 here, we can start fresh. We'll finally get a superstar here that competes and doesn't quit in big games. The franchise can shake that horrible image of Harden quitting every year in the postseason
