NBA Rumors: LA Clippers Could Trade Paul George To Kings For Hield, Bagley, Holmes, And Draft Picks
As the 2020-21 NBA season draws closer, several interesting trade ideas continue to surface. Among them is a hypothetical blockbuster deal that would send All-Star small forward Paul George to the Sacramento Kings. In the proposed trade scenario by Jake Rogers of NBA Analysis Network, the Kings would be sending a package that includes Buddy Hield, Marvin Bagley III, Richaun Holmes, a 2021 first-round pick, and a 2023 first-round pick to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for George and Ivica Zubac.
The suggested deal would make a lot of sense for the Kings, especially if they want to become a more competitive team in the loaded Western Conference for the 2020-21 NBA season. As Rogers noted, pairing George with De’Aaron Fox would take Sacramento to the “next level.”
“Adding a player like George to the roster, who can be a No. 1 threat offensively and elite defender, would take the Kings to the next level. Sacramento would have to build a better supporting cast around Fox and George. With this trade, they would be left with Harrison Barnes, Glenn Robinson III, Hassan Whiteside, Tyrese Haliburton, and Cory Joseph as their main role players. Those guys have a lot of talent, but the roster would not be a serious contender. Despite the needs the Kings would still have, this trade would be worth a shot.”
George would undeniably be an incredible addition to the Kings. He may have gone through plenty of ups and downs during his first year in Los Angeles, but he remains one of the best two-way players in the league. He would give them a very reliable scoring option, playmaker, rebounder, floor-spacer, and lockdown defender.
Last season, the 30-year-old small forward averaged 21.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.4 steals while shooting 43.9 percent from the field and 41.2 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN. If George meshes well with De’Aaron Fox, the Kings would have a better chance of returning to the Western Conference Playoffs next season.
However, trading for PG comes with a huge risk for the Kings since he could become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2021. Before engaging in a blockbuster deal with the Clippers, they should first get an assurance from George that he intends to stay in Sacramento beyond the 2020-21 NBA season.
Meanwhile, the proposed scenario would allow the Clippers to replenish the assets that they lost when they acquired PG from the Oklahoma City Thunder last summer. Hield would give Kawhi Leonard a new running mate who is an elite three-pointer, while Bagley and Holmes would boost the Clippers’ frontcourt depth. If the Clippers feel that they still need more roster improvement, they could use Bagley and the two future first-rounders as trade chips to acquire a quality veteran on the trade market.
