Paul George is only 26 - 27 in May. He also missed most of 2014-2015, so he has less mileage. Unless you think Russell (if kept), Ingram, Zubac, Nance etc. won't be ready for another 4 or 5 years, there should be a viable window for competitiveness among this core.
I hear you. I like all three young guys. I'm just saying, if one of those three can be turned into Paul George? I have to take that chance. I like all three, but it's very statistically unlikely that any of those three end up as good as Paul George. Keep in mind that George is essentially an expiring contract this summer, so we shouldn't have to give up a lot more than one great young piece. If we could get George for #1-3 and maybe Nance Jr. or something, that's a can't-miss deal. I'd also love to keep the pick though for all the reasons you said. I like all three of those kids. I like Isaac too as a dark horse #3 pick. Tatum is okay, but he's a mostly an Iso player and I don't think he's a good fit. The secret gold in this draft might be OG Anunoby. Great defender, good frame, good set shooter, makes winning plays. He's really limited in creating offense, but he could be a terrific role player. He's shooting up draft boards right now.
I'd prefer Paul George over anybody else right now. He's from the area, his head is on straight, I like his demeanor, and he's a heck of a talent. I watched the Raptors-Indiana series very close last year, and Paul completely took DeRozan out of the series. He's a game changer. Flat-out. If we did land the number 1 pick, I'd be more inclined to give up Russell. I think Fultz is the better prospect than Russell. We'll see, though. By the way, who do you think we go after this summer? I have a strong hunch that we'll be going after B. Griffin, Chris Paul, Gordon Hayward. The stars, obviously, but I'm interested if we strike out on those players, what is the back-up plan?
You draft a player in the top 3 praying on your knees for that player to be as good as a Paul George. I trade a top 3 pick for him in a second. Zero guarantee any of those players taken in the top 3 turns into a star, as we are seeing with Russell and Okafor right now for example. I will take the known over the unknown in this case, when we already have so much youth we will be waiting years for them to develop. I get that we aren't winning a title anytime soon, but I still think if you add PG to this team we immediately are back in the playoff hunt and on the road to respectability and attracting better free agents. I'm also not high on Ball like others here are, his shot is hideous and he reminds me of Farmar in ways.
If butler isnt traded to bos and say we land #1, anyone think there's any combo of players and pick we can use to net butler and pg? Would these ideas work? #1/brewer/deng/russell for pg/al jefferson Jc/randle/future 1st for butler Our cap goes up bit but might have enough $ for cp3 if we waive Mozgov
If we land the #1 pick we could put together something like Russell/Randle for George and still field a really interesting team AND still have cap room to go get a max level FA. I think the Lakers definitely check in with Griffin and Hayward. I think they definitely check in with Lowry and Chris Paul (but Paul has reportedly agreed to a 200 million dollar extension). After those guys I hope we check in with Ibaka whose value is decreasing. I hope we look into guys like Jeff Teague and George Hill. Those guys may actually be attainable. More bargain bin type guys that I'd love to look into: Redick, Taj Gibson, Korver, Shaun Livingston, and even Tony Allen.
I'd say that's more than enough for Butler. I'd say that's a lot for George considering he'd be an expiring contract and could potentially leave. If we get the #1 pick, we need to keep at least one of the #1 pick or Russell.
#1/hou 1st/brewer/deng for pg/al randle/2 future 1st for butler Jc/Mozgov/chi 2nd to Bk for future pick Dlo/2nd rd Butler/ingram George/ingram Nance/al jeff Zu/blk/al jeff
I wouldn't trade any of our kids unless we end up with 2 stars, whether that be via 2 trades or a FA signing followed by a trade. So if we theoretically sign Paul George in the summer of 2018, then we should go all out and trade half of our kids for someone like Westbrook. That will make us competitive. Still not a contender though. We still need one or two of our kids to pan out.
Russell, Clarkson, Randle, 1st rounder from Houston? If that happened, the top 3 pick this year for Fultz or Ball would be crucial.
I'd love to get Paul George, but I'm not trading my whole roster for him, because then we have no team and we will still suck and he will walk in free agency. I'd do a combination of a couple of our young core, but not the whole group, which is probably what Indiana would be asking.
if the Lakers kept Zubac and Ingram, with George, that would not be a bad team in 2 years when the Lakers dive into 2018 with money and players who have developed and a start at the 2. And if they got Fultz or Ball in the draft, game over.
