The defending NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers made easy work of the Indiana Pacers in their first-round playoff series. LeBron James and company swept Pacers in four games leaving a lot of uncertainty surrounding Paul George’s future with the team even though he won’t become a free agent until the summer of 2018.
Although George is under contract for another season with the Pacers, the star forward was asked about free agency following the Game 4 loss to Cleveland. It comes as no surprise that George wanted nothing to do with that question, via Cody Taylor of Basketball Insiders:
Paul George on free agency:
"I'm not even at that point. Next question."
— Cody Taylor (@CodyTaylorNBA) April 23, 2017
Speculation has run rampant about George’s future in Indiana over the course of the 2016-17 NBA season. George was frequently mentioned in trade rumors heading toward the NBA trade deadline in February with the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers being potential suitors for the perennial All-Star.
After the trade deadline came and went, George remained in a Pacers, and team president Larry Bird made it clear he had no intention of trading their star forward. Despite Bird’s statement, rumors persisted about George’s potential exit with talk of him wanting to play for his hometown Lakers once he hits NBA free agency in 2018.
With the rumors George wanting to play for the Lakers reportedly being real and well known around the league, the pressure is on Bird and the Pacers brass to bolster the roster this summer. George was asked what he’d like to see the team do in the offseason saying the following, via Taylor:
Paul George on what he'd like to see the Pacers do this summer:
"[Our] exit meeting is tomorrow. I'll wait for that time."
— Cody Taylor (@CodyTaylorNBA) April 23, 2017
With George being critical of his teammates this season and talk of him wanting the Pacers roster to improve to a championship contender, Bird and company will have their work cut out for them this summer. It could be an offseason of the Pacers desperately looking to upgrade their team from top to bottom or engaging in trade talks to move George could be the route Indiana takes if they feel the right moves to appease their star player can’t be made.
Regardless of what happens when the dust settles, this summer will be an interesting one for the Pacers and the Lakers with both teams looking to set up their futures in one way or another.