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Report: George 'would love to play' with Hayward

Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

They're only about a month apart in age, and were selected consecutively in the 2010 NBA Draft. And while they essentially play the same small forward position, Paul George "would love to play" with Gordon Hayward, sources told ESPN's Zach Lowe.

Hayward can become an unrestricted free agent if he opts out of his contract this summer, while George will be in the same situation in 2018. What's likely the main thing at play here, however, is George's wish that his Indiana Pacers improve substantially between now and the 2018 trade deadline - with some saying he'll be ready to bolt for the Los Angeles Lakers if they don't.

Hayward is an Indianapolis native, and with all due respect to George Hill, Eric Gordon, and Jeff Teague, he's probably the best Hoosier in the NBA right now. Even with skill duplication, it's logical that George would want the Pacers to land a player of Hayward's prominence, and he may be hoping the hometown lure is real.

In reality, however, it's a long shot that the pair ends up on the same team. Both have another interesting dynamic at play: If either earns an All-NBA honor, they would qualify for the designated veteran player provision with their current team - or a so-called "supermax" contract - borne out of the new CBA. That would allow them to sign a maximum contract worth over $200 million, something that would be very difficult to turn down in favor of joining another team that can offer significantly less.

The catch is that they'd need to opt into their current contracts as well. Hayward's decision with the Utah Jazz comes first, and if he does opt out, it's expected that several teams, including the Boston Celtics - coached by his college bench boss Brad Stevens - will be interested.

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