Lakers Rumors: Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram won’t be traded for Paul George
Los Angeles Lakers Rumors: The Lakers are not expecting to trade for Paul George, as they are unwilling to trade away either Lonzo Ball or Brandon Ingram.
There have been a ton of Los Angeles Lakers rumors popping up recently. A majority of the rumors surrounding the team involve Paul George.
Before the 2017 NBA Draft took place, George informed the Pacers that he would be leaving the team after the 2017-18 season. In addition to that, new also let it be known that his preferred landing spot would be with the Lakers.
As a result, the Lakers got to work trying to acquire the two-way superstar. The two teams have had discussions about a potential deal. The Lakers acquired the 27th pick from the Brooklyn Nets in a salary dump along with Brook Lopez in exchange for D’Angelo Russell and Timofey Mozgov.
The Lakers immediately made another offer to the Pacers. They reportedly offered the 27th and 28th pick, in addition to either Julius Randle or Jordan Clarkson.
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Draft night has come and gone, but the rumors surrounding George have not. Shortly after the draft, it was revealed that the Lakers did, in fact, offer that deal to Indiana. But, Indiana did not accept it, as they hoped they would get more in a trade package from the Boston Celtics.
After the draft, it looked like other teams were getting into the George sweepstakes. The Cleveland Cavaliers were one of those teams. But, the Cavaliers will find it difficult to make a deal, and it was reported that the Cavaliers are unlikely to land George.
Not too long after that, it was revealed that talks between the Lakers and Pacers have died. A big reason for the talks dying down is the inability to agree on a package.
The Lakers want George, but they know the Pacers have no leverage, so they aren’t going to upgrade their package. Indiana has been insistent on landing either the No. 2 pick, which turned into Lonzo Ball, or Brandon Ingram. The Lakers have been insistent on not including them, and that sounds to still be the case.
According to Mark Medina of the Orange County Register, the Lakers are not expecting to trade for George at this time. Instead, they are going to wait to sign him as a free agent in 2018. This is something that will frustrate some fans, but it is a smart move from the Lakers perspective.
Giving up too many assets for George would sap the team of what makes them an attractive landing spot for players. Ball and Ingram have a long way to go to realize their potential, but trading away both of them, or even one of them, would make little sense.
The Pacers have almost no leverage in these trade talks. George has stated he wants to play for the Lakers, which causes pause for other teams inquiring about him because he could leave after one season. No team is going to sell the farm for a one-year rental of George.
Because of that, the Lakers will more than likely play the waiting game. If they are not going to include Ball or Ingram in trade talks, it does not sound like the Pacers are going to budge. This is something that could backfire on the Lakers, especially is a team such as the Cavaliers, Celtics, or new-look Houston Rockets acquire George.
Of those teams, the Celtics are the only ones the Lakers should really worry about, as they have the assets to make a deal for virtually any player in the NBA. The George saga may drag on for weeks, as it is essentially a big game of chicken.
Next: 3 Reasons Lakers Should Trade For Paul George
Will the Lakers, or another team, blink and add something they originally didn’t plan on putting into a package? Or will the Pacers crack, and take back whatever they can so they can get something for George, instead of nothing if he walks as a free agent.