In the Paul George sweepstakes, the Pacers are talking to everyone with an offer. They know the Lakers are George's preferred destination, but the only way Indiana gains leverage in those trade talks is by selling George to the rest of the league as a one-year rental.
According to Marc Stein of ESPN, the Clippers, Rockets, Wizards and Cavaliers have been in trade discussions regarding George -- though there is no info on who is the favorite.
The Clippers, Rockets, Wizards and, yes, Cavs are among the teams that have also talked Paul George trades with Indiana, league sources say
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) June 20, 2017
Those teams are contenders (or near contenders) and willing to risk George being around for only one season. Their hope is George becomes enamored with his rental team and wants to stay. It's smart work by the Pacers to regain a foothold regarding their marquee player. When it became apparent that Los Angeles could just wait for next summer to sign George, Indiana was left with little choice except to trade him before his value further decreased. Any threat to George's preference for the Lakers is a win for the Pacers in trade discussions with other clubs.
