NBA Insider Says The Knicks Tried To Trade For Paul George
The New York Knicks are looking for the next big swing on the market that can change the fortunes of their franchise. They've slowly built a winning culture and now need that one superstar who can lead them to a possible title.
The team has been linked with various superstars in the last year, but one of the most recent rumors came with the team's interest in Paul George. Knicks' insider Ian Begley shared crucial details about the validity behind the team's interest in acquiring PG13.
"I know the Knicks wanted Paul George. They called, and they were very interested. Where it went from there as far as how willing the Clippers were to move him, I'm not sure."
Begley then revealed that a future contract extension for George made the Knicks hesitant, with an implication that the Clippers don't know what to do regarding the same.
"I read reports about the Knicks not wanting to extend Paul George, and that makes a lot of sense. I think that's why the Clippers had started taking calls on him because he's extension eligible and I don't think they're sure of how they want to handle that extension."
George is an incredible talent and averaged 23.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 5.1 assists last season. But he is perennially injured and is slowly going to regress in his athletic ability. The Clippers have paid the price of having injury-prone superstars for four seasons now, so teams around the league will be cautious about acquiring either PG or even Kawhi Leonard.
Will The Clippers Move Paul George For The Right Price?
The Clippers seem committed to adding another superstar around George and Leonard, with James Harden being heavily linked to the squad. If that fails, could the Clippers trade George to try and ensure the team isn't left without assets if PG leaves? The team may just not want to extend this attempt at contending with George and Leonard, so letting them walk as free agents would be silly.
In the short term, they definitely want both their stars to be on the team and, hopefully, healthy. Harden would be an incredible floor general for them, and have Russell Westbrook either be his backup or alongside him. Both players are masters at setting teammates up in the open court, so the Clippers should be competitive regardless.
Moving George is a massive decision, but it doesn't look like one the Clippers will run into this season unless the team is not doing well until the February trade deadline.
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