NBA Trade Rumors: Jeff Green To Indiana? Pacers Are Desperate After Losing Paul George! Will Celtics Help Out Their Conference Rival?
The NBA Trade Rumors are coming off left field. This time, it's a proposal for the Indiana Pacers on how to salvage their season in the aftermath of the tragic Paul George injury.
Of course, it's difficult to replace Paul George. Probably the 3rd best small forward after LeBron James and Kevin Durant (Carmelo Anthony would argue that, of course). George's advantage over Anthony is that he is an elite defender. At the start of the 2013-2014 season, George was a leading candidate for Defensive Player of the Year.
But the main problem for the Indiana Pacers is their offense. George is their top scorer, and they already traded Danny Granger (that really came back to haunt them) and let go of Evan Turner while also losing Lance Stephenson.
Sports On Earth had the following suggestion:
"A trade, then, could be in order. George's career is not over; the Pacers should be on the lookout for a one-year rental. The two most ideal options are Boston Celtics forward Jeff Green (Hibbert's college teammate and friend) and Philadelphia 76ers sacrificial lamb Thaddeus Young."
Young may be a long shot since he is prominently mentioned in the Kevin Love - Andrew Wiggins trade. Green is a possibility though, but Danny Ainge charges steeply, even when he's dealing with Larry Bird.
"The Celtics are desperate to exchange Green's service for anything that could be helpful in the future. He's due $9.2 million this year and has a player option for the same amount the following season. There's a good chance he opts out, though, eliminating any financial liability beyond this year."
With the Pacers, Green has a big chance to show his talents. He has maximum playing time and possessions.
SOE's proposal:
"The Pacers can offer Luis Scola's non-guaranteed deal, Ian Mahinmi (Boston needs rim protection) and a lottery-protected 2015 first-round pick. Under normal circumstances, no team would give up a draft pick for Green, but these aren't normal circumstances. If Indiana wants to win now -- which, once again, they're built to do -- sacrificing the future for the present may be a necessity."
Indiana is a proud city and they would not condone tanking. While they understand Paul George's situation, an attempt for some relevance will be appreciated.