what's a parade without a little rain?
Adam Himmelsbach ✔ @AdamHimmelsbach
Hearing that there have still been no substantial talks between Celtics and either Pacers or Bulls this week.
2:55 PM - 22 Feb 2017
Eh, I don't expect things to get serious until tomorrow afternoon anyways. That's when things get serious and teams start getting serious about offers.
You have to think one of Indy or Chicago blinks and ultimately trades their guy at the last minute in order to claim that Brooklyn pick with as valuable as it is. At this point, though, I do think George is more likely to be traded. He's on a shorter contract, and Indy just realistically doesn't have the assets or ways to really improve the team around him.
It could go the other way too, however. Bird can now use potentially breaking apart his team by trading Paul George as a way to drive down the price as a buyer in the market. He can now have a staring contest with the Nets over Lopez, because he's got a very public plan B -- one that permanently removes his team from participating in the Lopez sweepstakes.
Im not sure how serious their pursuit of Lopez really is. I think Bird knows that Lopez would be a very, very questionable fit on that team next to Turner, and it's more of a desperation move to keep George than anything.
And knowing it could very well backfire and still not convince George to stay, while costing them assets and STILL having to trade George or watch him walk for nothing, I seriously can't see that happening. Bird seems to be much more pragmatic than that. I think he sees the writing on the wall, which is why this is being discussed in the first place.
Imagine that they would trade for Lopez, something like their 2017 pick, Robinson, and salary filler, how much better would they really be? I still see them as first round fodder and not even challenging for home court. Bird surely sees this, too, so why would they compound their asset problems for a ploy that is doubtful to work anyways?
EDIT: Plus, this is probably the last chance Bird has to get this Brooklyn pick. I can't see Danny trading it this summer for only one guaranteed year of George, especially a top-2 pick, let alone if he falls in love with a Fultz or Ball, which happens to GMs around the draft a lot (Winslow).