Knicks Named Trade Candidate for Paul George

Paul George could be traded from the Los Angeles Clippers to the New York Knicks.

Mar 11, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul George (13) warms up before the game against the New York Knicks at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports / Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Knicks are gaining steam as a potential trade candidate for Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George, who is likely to leave his team after playing with them since 2019.

NBA insider Marc Stein is reporting that the Knicks should be on the list of potential teams to watch if George requests a trade.

"Another trusted source has advised me to keep the Knicks on the list as a potential trade suitor for George if the All-NBA swingman indeed opts into the final season of his current contract at $48.8 million. That step would position George to push for a trade to another team," Stein writes.

Trading for a 34-year-old who is only under contract for one season for nearly $50 million may not sound like the wisest idea, but George might be a player worth making the move for. He averaged 22.6 points per game this past season with the Clippers, proving to still be one of the best scorers in the game.

An offense headlined by him and Jalen Brunson could rival as one of the league's best, and George's defense can keep up with Tom Thibodeau's system. It's a good fit, but it will cost the Knicks a pricey package, even if George is only under contract for a year.

Julius Randle will almost certainly have to be involved, along with Bojan Bogdanovic's $19 million. The Clippers would also be silly to not ask for young point guard Miles McBride, who is only set to make $13 million over the next three years.

Trading all of those players for George may end up not worth it in the end, but the Knicks would show initiative by making a ballsy deal like this.

The potential deal changes if George is willing to agree to an extension with the Knicks. New York likely wouldn't make the move unless he agreed in principle to a new contract, but to pay a player the most money on the team as a 35-year-old severely limits the Knicks potential moving forward.

All in all, trading for George puts the Knicks in "championship or bust" mode.

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