Washington Wizards Mailbag Monday: How the Wizards Could Trade For Paul George
By Ben Mehic
The Washington Wizards, as currently constructed, are one of the top teams in the East. They were one lucky LeBron James shot away from beating the Cleveland Cavaliers. Even if they don’t make any changes to the roster, the Wizards can still compete with anyone in the conference.
But imagine if their core was centered around John Wall, Bradley Beal and Paul George.
That trio is capable of beating any team in the NBA – not just the Cavaliers.
The Pacers are just one game above .500 and won’t have home court advantage in the postseason, if they end up making it. George was a part of the Pacers’ teams that challenged the LeBron-led Miami Heat a few years ago. He’s gotten a real taste of success and now he’s on a mediocre team.
Understandably, George is frustrated. The off-season additions – Jeff Teague, Thaddeus Young and Al Jefferson – haven’t helped the team win more games and the path to improvement is unclear.
Like the Kings, the Pacers might opt to start a rebuild with Myles Turner as their centerpiece.
Washington could put together a surprisingly interesting trade for George.
Here’s a hypothetical deal:
- Washington receives: Paul George and Al Jefferson
- Indiana receives: Otto Porter, Kelly Oubre, Ian Mahinmi and a first round pick (2017)
Indiana would be able to build around Turner, Porter and Oubre. Mahinmi is a starting caliber center and he’s familiar with the organization.
Porter has played at an All-Star level and Oubre has shown flashes of being a star, too. Our own Nithin Kuchibhotla thinks he has the potential to become the next Paul George.
Next: Predicting a Wizards Trade Deadline Deal
The chances of Washington actually making a move for George are slim, but the idea is certainly fun. At some point, teams dump their star players to start fresh. The Kings did it and the Pacers might be next.