Embed from Getty Images
Today in Paul George rumors, it sounds like maybe the All-Star guard isn’t quite as hell-bent as we once thought on joining the Lakers.
In a long story of twists and tails full of reports and rumors, the latest is a new twist in the tail. Long considered as a rental for whatever team he goes to prior to the summer of 2018, George may be more open to the idea of signing a long-term deal than initially suggested.
From Sam Amick of USA Today:
Hell-bent as he is on signing with the Lakers, George – according to a person with knowledge of his situation – is also the kind of prudent professional who won’t close a window of opportunity prematurely. So if the Cavs can convince Pritchard to either take on four-time All-Star forward Kevin Love or send him to a third team in exchange for more suitable assets, then George will play his heart out alongside LeBron James and remain open to the idea of re-signing next summer if James were also to return (or, perhaps, George could leave for Los Angeles with James at his side).
Amick also went on to suggest both the Celtics and Spurs could “fulfill George’s desire for title contention” and could lock up the star long-term.
This isn’t great news for Laker fans who were likely already weary of the fact that George isn’t yet in Los Angeles in the purple and gold.
This does come on the heels of a report that George may be recruiting current Warrior and 2019 free agent Klay Thompson to the Lakers. Depending on which report you want to believe, George is either so certain he’ll be a Laker, he’s recruiting future teammates or he’s so uncertain about becoming a Laker that he’s open to re-upping with teams elsewhere.
It should be noted that this is really the first report to refute the idea that George would be nothing more than a rental, though it clearly comes from a refutable source.
4 thoughts