On the morning of the 2023 NBA Draft, it was revealed that the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers had discussed a potential trade surrounding eight-time All-Star Paul George.
The 33-year-old has averaged over 23 points per game over the last three seasons and most recently recorded over six rebounds per game along with a 37.1 three-point percentage in his most recent season with ‘Clip City.’
While on paper, it seems like George could be the star to help put New York into that championship contention category, it must be noted that George has not played 60 games in a season since 2018-2019, and has averaged just 47.25 games played over the last four NBA campaigns.
Should the New York Knicks seriously pursue Paul George in trade?
When considering PG’s trade value, it’s easy to admire the positives he can bring to the Knicks rotation. However, you have to equally consider that he is most likely past his prime and could very well not be healthy for a full season.
Evaluating the Knicks’ roster, there is definitely the likelihood that New York fits as a trade partner as the team has both young players in the back of the rotation with soon-to-be expired contracts as well as veterans on larger deals. Let’s go over three trade proposals that would be beneficial for both teams.
A trade to appease the frustrated Obi Toppin
If this trade does indeed go through, the Knicks would get their desired star. The Clippers would not only match the value of Paul George’s contract but would also get Obi Toppin and Jericho Sims, who would be featured a lot more in Coach Tyronn Lue’s rotation.
After a leaked incident that saw Toppin display frustration towards Tom Thibodeau following a Game 4 playoff loss against the Heat, it’s evident that he desires a role that would allow him to get more playing time. LAC can provide that for him, especially with Marcus Morris Sr. likely being on the way out.
Plus, Sims has potential, but he’s stuck behind one of the league’s best center duos currently in Mitchell Robinson and Isaiah Hartenstein. If the Clippers don’t keep Mason Plumlee, Sims could see himself as a very useful backup big to Ivica Zubac.
In the end, it’s not even a guarantee that the Clippers decide they want to trade George, especially for a dump of a package like this. This admittedly is a very team-friendly deal for the Knicks that would say a lot about how the Clippers view their future.
Again, this trade is more of an example of what we’ll likely see if Los Angeles decides to tear it down and doesn’t require teams to give up a lot of real estate in a swap.
A trade that would see Julius Randle return to Los Angeles
Some of the pieces in this trade are very similar to the previous one, however in this proposal, the Knicks are exchanging a different power forward with the ‘City of Angels.’
At the end of the day, it comes down to what the Knicks value. If this ended up being a more realistic form of the trade, it would mean that Leon Rose wants Obi Toppin to be an instrumental part of the rotation, meaning that he’d be getting rid of the best Knicks forward since Carmelo Anthony to prove that.
In a situation like this, Julius Randle could very well be used to make new Clippers GM Trent Redden more willing to trade PG. Randle is not only five years younger but has been a two-time All-NBA player over the last three seasons.
As I mentioned in the last trade, Marcus Morris Sr. has demonstrated lots of frustration with his role on the Clippers, so it would be realistic for the team to sacrifice a player who hasn’t been available that much for a player like Randle. Up until the very end of the season when he sprained his ankle, Randle was ready to win the “award” for Knicks Iron Man.
Derrick Rose remains in the package to make the money work and Washington’s first-round pick also stays in the deal because the Knicks have three of them in 2024. They can keep it protected, and if the organization wants to obtain George, it’s easy to figure they’d throw it in as a sweetener.
A trade that would cause Knicks to part with Quentin Grimes
The third and final trade on display here is an example of what it might look like if the Knicks were a little more eager themselves.
The Clippers have made it clear that they’re still deciding if they’re willing to even negotiate a trade surrounding Paul George. Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer reported that he doesn’t expect LA to move on from the veteran star.
While the Knicks have been at the forefront of nearly every PG rumor thus far, there still is a chance they’ll have to give up at least a decent amount of value to acquire the star, which is reportedly part of the reason why New York has been reluctant to make a trade.
If New York would be able to draw Los Angeles into a trade, they would have to not only include Obi Toppin but would also have to give up Quentin Grimes as well, who could fill right in George’s rotation spot and help the Clippers at least compete in a very tough Western Conference.
In this case, Evan Fournier will be the piece given up to make the money work, and the pick from Washington would be replaced with the first-round pick from Dallas to ensure that the protection likely doesn’t come into effect to make the package a bit stronger.
In this move, the Knicks would also acquire University of Kentucky product Brandon Boston Jr. as a good end-of-the-bench depth piece. Boston is entering his third year in the NBA and is averaging 6.7 points over 73 career games. He shot 41.4% from deep and made his first career start during the 2022-2023 season.
In reality, despite all the question marks, Paul George certainly does make the New York Knicks a better team, and maybe even a contender. However, before making any type of move, the Knicks front office must comprehend what LAC wants to do regarding the direction of their franchise. That is what will determine PG13’s value. Until that’s set in stone, we will likely see Leon Rose and Co. continue to play the waiting game.
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