In recent hours we learned the reason why Paul George decided it was time to part ways with the Indiana Pacers, his first team in the NBA, which he took to the Eastern Conference several times. Paul George wanted to have a better shot at succeeding in the East but the team’s front office wasn’t on the same page.
“I ain’t gon’ say the names, because I’m going to keep their business private, I’ma just say it like this. I had at the time, the best power forward saying he wanted to come to Indy and team up with me,” George explained.
Now rumors have surfaced claiming that player was the then New Orleans Pelican Anthony Davis, considered the best power forward in the association in 2017.
Via Alex Kennedy of Hoops Hype:
A league source believes that Paul George is talking about Anthony Davis, which makes sense since he was widely regarded as the best power forward in the league in the summer of 2017 (when this conversation happened). Did the Pacers pass on an opportunity to add Davis for financial reasons? It’s not that simple.
Some said he was talking about Blake Griffin, but Pacers reporter J. Michael made sure to shut down those claims, assuring it was Anthony Davis who wanted to team up with PG-13 in Indy.
“I keep getting Blake Griffin comments over this. It was NOT him. PG is referring to Anthony Davis who had a couple yrs left on his deal. No commitment to #Pacers beyond that and a team gutting itself to get AD and then having to compete w/Lakers in free agency made it a no-go,” he said on Twitter.
I keep getting Blake Griffin comments over this. It was NOT him. PG is referring to Anthony Davis who had a couple yrs left on his deal. No commitment to #Pacers beyond that and a team gutting itself to get AD and then having to compete w/Lakers in free agency made it a no-go https://t.co/cJ1BppN6L2
— J. Michael (@ThisIsJMichael) June 23, 2020
That move would have been extremely great for the Pacers. Perhaps we would’ve seen Myles Turner and AD playing together with PG. That team would’ve been terrific and one of the powerhouses in the East. Too bad they didn’t have the confidence to make the move.
