When I met him, he was surprised that me and my buddy knew who he was. He was super chill. My same buddy met him again, and said he was a totally different person.
Harden was a 6th man. It's nearly impossible to say what D'Angelo would look like if the scenarios were switched. It's easy to say Harden affected the win column, but he was playing with Durant and Westbrook. Russell was playing with Luol Deng and Lou Williams. Personally, I think it's going to take a massive shakeup to get Russell to appreciate the gravity of his talents. This trade could be that shakeup although I doubt it. Still, you are hyping up Harden as a clear future star when at the time in 2012 he hadn't shown much more than what D'Angelo has shown so far. It's not a fair characterization to say that Harden was clearly a future star and D'Angelo isn't. D'Angelo has the talent to break out and be a great player, we'll see if it ever happens.
Of course he is a different person. That is what happens when you settle. He got a big contract, is starting to believe how good he is, etc etc. Money and Fame is a drug. If you arent one of those people who can function in it, it will consume you and destroy you eventually.
KP is blowing smoke up his own a**. He can't get pieces to come to Indiana to make PG happy nor make that organization competitive. Another bad organization that proves it can't play chess. If you are having conversations this year about adding pieces and trying to get assurances that PG will stay, then you already lost the game. It's time for PG to turn up his career and come to the Lakers. Global shine and business opportunities await. And you get to bump shoulders weekly with Magic, Pelinka and Kobe, not to mention any Lakers great that happens to drop by. There is NO comparison in Indiana. Nothing further for PG and KP to discuss.
And yet people ask why the hell PG would wanna play for the Lakers. Sent from my E6533 using Tapatalk
I don't think that's the issue anymore. The issue is whether or not the Pacers will play ball or if they'll let George walk for nothing. In the end, if Pritchard doesn't cave I just honestly don't understand how/when he thinks better offers are going to roll in. The rumor is he thinks people who miss out on FAs will come make a run at George, but I don't see it. Even if they do, why would their offers change dramatically? His best offers were going to come before the draft and he was too proud to take them. Oh well... One more year.
But I feel like he is trying to cover his a** by making it seem tha PG sprung his desire to leave on him at the last minute after supposed numerous assurances beforehand. I don't believe that. Reminds me of LeBron's first tour in Cleveland. They weren't forward thinking to get pieces and craft a direction. For god's sake they brought back Lance Stephenson. Really? They wait like a lazy boyfriend until there is a complaint and then they start buying flowers and talking about the future together. They slept, so there's a new more interesting suitor waiting in the wings.
I don't disagree with any of that but Pritchard can't admit that. He can however see the writing on the wall and take what's in front of him. Too late now of course. We have nothing they'd be interested in. We'd have to include a 3rd team to make a deal work.
Yeah. PG-13 might end up on the Lakers at the deadline for like Clarkson, one of the dudes we drafted (not named Ball), and a second rounder. Other than that we are going to have to wait until the offseason.
I still don't understand why the Pacers are gonna allow PG13 to leave for nothing. Have they not seen what happened to teams that know as much, but refuse to trade for young assests? They become us lol.
At the moment it sounds like he'd rather take an inferior offer from another team than trade George to LA. Hopefully cooler heads prevail.
It's a tossup who they are more pissed at now ..... PG for letting his agent poison the well so to speak or the Lakers for being the team they see as behind the scenes driving that scenario.
I actually understand the waiting game. It's a part gamble, but settling for something at the trade deadline can possibly be a deal as good as ours, or they happen to take ours...it just happens to be in December/January. Why IMO it does make sense to wait if you're them... You could be a franchise that emerges into the playoffs as a contender without PG and you go for the gold that this will put you over the hump and maybe get close on a moral victory playoff exit while having a plan for the next 3 years. On top of my head?..Spurs,Wizards.
I'm sure Pritchard knows or he's an absolute moron to not realize as each day goes by and when the season starts... PG gains more and more power until Pritchard realizes PG can pretty much "veto" any trade
Hes betting on someone elses desperation and probably knows he could trade with us in December if all else fails.
There is a zero percent chance that Paul George is on that team to start the season. He's being traded, just probably not to us.
he (and boston or houston) are betting he'll change his mind. we'll see how much george wants to be a laker. again: the press is going to crucify him. unless he goes to houston or boston...then it's cool.
That... is fair. But do you really think that's a healthy relationship? Pritchard just put the entirety of the blame on George to the public. You think it'd be good for the franchise to have this hanging over their head all summer and into the season?
No but tough decisions sometimes involve tough circumstances. George still has to be professional in the locker room and on the court. But we can continue discussing this scenario if he actually suits up for them come start of the new season. Were 3 months away from Training camp.
