Bird: Pacers ready to offer George maximum contract

The Indiana Pacers have already made up their minds about Paul George.

Having recovered from a broken leg suffered two summers ago, the Pacers are happy to reward their franchise player with a maximum contract.

Team president Larry Bird told Nate Taylor of IndyStar.com Wednesday that the team will sign George to a deal whenever he's ready. The two sides had preliminary extension talks earlier this summer.

"I know he don’t want to talk about it all year and I don’t either," Bird said. "We want Paul here and we know what it’s going to cost and what it’s going to take. If Paul wants to get a deal done, we will. It’s a max deal. There’s no others, so there’s no use talking about it. If he wants it, he’s got it."

George's current contract runs through 2019, but he's eligible for a raise much in the same way James Harden and Russell Westbrook had their contracts renegotiated this summer.

Related: Rockets, Harden agree to 4-year contract renegotiation worth reported $118M

Currently, George will receive $18.3 million, $19.5 million, and $20.7 million in the final three seasons of his deal. However, since the salary cap has jumped significantly since he inked his contract in 2013, George is now making far less than the maximum allowable salary.

With a renegotiated deal under the new $94-million salary cap, George could earn as much as $26 million for the coming season - a difference of $8 million compared to his current contract.

The two sides have until Sept. 25 to finalize the agreement.

The Pacers would have to shed some salary in order to give him the full amount as they only have $2 million in cap room and would need to lose $6 million more to give George his raise.

But that's a small price to pay in order to reward one of the NBA's best players - especially if this gambit entices George to tack some years onto his contract.

"We do whatever he wants to do," Bird said. "He’s proven that he’s a max player. He’s our best player. If he wants a new contract, whenever he wants it, we’ll give it to him.'"

George, 26, is coming off a career year in which he averaged 23.1 points, seven rebounds, and 4.1 assists while earning All-NBA and All-Defensive team honors.