1) George is basically what Tatum would be if he maxed out. Except George is just now entering his prime just turning age 27. It would take 5 years+ for Tatum to reach George's level, if he ever does.
2) Jaylen is a different type of player than Hayward and George on the wing. He already knows the system, he is already very good one on one defender, and is a top athlete in the league. He fits better with George and Hayward.
3) We retain all of our 2018 picks giving us the ammo to go after Anthony Davis when he eventually goes on the trade market.
4) We have IT and Horford who are all-stars, if we build around the youth , there is no guarantee we will be able to land players as good as IT and Horford to put around them, like they would be next to Hayward and George(who we already know are all star/ all nba players just entering their prime turning 27).
Tatum,AB, Jae, Rozier and addition non lottery pick.
IT. Smart
Brown. Green
Hayward.
George. Jerebko?
Horford. Zicic
1) This kind of "young guy isn't as good as veteran" drives me crazy. Ya, of course he isn't. But he's eight years younger so if he does get as George in five years we would have 4 years of George level player as opposed to one. Even if he doesn't you could argue that 7-9 years of team control on a young starter level player is worth more than one year of Paul George.
2) Jaylen may very well be a better fit. BUT WHY NOT BOTH? If we add Hayward then Bradley and Crowder are gone to match salary for George, Jaylen becomes the starting 2 and Tatum can be the bench scorer our back ups so desperately need.
3) If Tatum comes out and has an awesome year who is to say the NOP wouldn't prefer him in a package over some nameless 2018 or 2019pick? Guys who can create their own offense are a very valuable NBA commodity.
4) TBH i'm not worried about maximizing Thomas and Horford. There are players who you absolutely go all in to maximize their primes, guys like Durant, James, Westbrook, Curry, Harden, ect. Horford is not one of those players.
Bottom line I'm not giving up a #3 pick for a guy who even with Hayward might not beet Cleveland and wouldn't beet GS. Especially because it shouldn't cost us that.