Pacers, Cavaliers, Nuggets Working on Three-Team Trade to Send Paul George to Cleveland
The Cleveland Cavaliers couldn't pry Paul George away from the Indiana Pacers before the draft, but they're not giving up on the chase just yet.
According to ESPN's Marc Stein and Chris Haynes, the Cavaliers are still pursuing a trade with the Pacers and they are discussing a potential three-team trade involving the Denver Nuggets. The deal will send George to Cleveland while Kevin Love goes to the Nuggets.
"The three teams could not agree to a final trade construction in time to complete a deal on draft night Thursday. However, sources say the Cavaliers won't abandon their trade pursuit of George, believing that acquiring him and George's potentially winning a championship next season alongside LeBron James is the one scenario that could convince the two-way menace to abandon his well-chronicled desire to join the Los Angeles Lakers as soon as possible," Stein and Haynes wrote in their report.
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The Pacers will get a mix of young players and draft assets from the Nuggets, but it's unclear which specific players will be included in the package. The Nuggets don't want to include Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray in trade talks, but Emmanuel Mudiay, Kenneth Faried and Wilson Chandler are reportedly available.
Aside from the Cavaliers, Stein and Haynes said the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets are also interested in trading for George.
The Lakers would rather acquire the All-Star forward right now rather than wait to sign him next summer, but they should be wary of trading too many of their assets for him.
On the other hand, the Rockets are trying to build a contender to challenge the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference and they feel that George may help them get over the hump.
The Boston Celtics are in the mix as well. However, they are looking to sign Gordon Hayward first before they trade for George.
