Could the NBA be on the verge of another franchise-altering move?
The Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers, and Denver Nuggets have reportedly discussed a deal that would send Paul George to the Cavs and Kevin Love to the Nuggets, according to ESPN's Marc Stein and Chris Haynes.
The discussions reportedly began before the June 22 draft, and the Cavaliers are apparently still very keen on acquiring the Pacers' superstar wing.
George has made his intention to leave the Pacers next offseason known. The four-time All-Star has a player option for the 2018-19 season, but is expected to opt out in order to join his destination of choice, the Los Angeles Lakers.
Knowing that George will almost certainly walk at the end of the 2017-18 season regardless of which team he plays for has eroded much of his trade value.
With Cleveland staring down the prospects of a fourth straight Finals run against a Golden State Warriors squad that proved almost unbeatable in this year's championship series, the Cavs could roll the dice by swapping one All-Star for another in hopes of finding some sort of edge. It would be an all-or-nothing move, but there's little to suggest the Cavaliers as currently constructed can top Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, and the Dubs.
The Nuggets would be able to satisfy Indiana's desire for young assets to help shepherd them into the post-PG era. For their troubles, Denver would acquire Love, who has three more years at a fair market price on his current deal - a minor coup for a smaller-market team that hasn't typically been a free-agent magnet.
The general framework of the deal would make some sense for all parties, though Cleveland.com's Joe Vardon reports that any current talks between the teams have been "nothing serious."
