Why Knicks Should Trade for Paul George
The New York Knicks have long been looking out for a star to take their team to new heights.
That star could end up being Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul George, who has the decision to opt out of his contract with his team this summer. However, George could choose to opt in and request a trade from the Clippers, much like James Harden did this past season with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Bleacher Report writer Grant Hughes opines that the Knicks should make a trade for George.
"Between Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson and Miles McBride, the Knicks could produce the matching salary necessary to land PG, provided they throw in enough future draft compensation to entice the Clippers," Hughes writes. "George has the ability to opt out and hit free agency, but few teams have the space to sign him. If he prefers the Knicks to the Philadelphia 76ers, which wouldn't be the strangest stance considering the Kawhi Leonard experience might make him reluctant to pair up with another oft-injured superstar in Joel Embiid, he'd have leverage to apply to L.A."
George, 34, averaged 22.6 points per game for the Clippers this past season, proving he can still be a top contributor in the league. While the Clippers didn't perform well as a team, George's fit with the Knicks is a little more seamless, and New York could maximize on its potential by swapping out Randle, Robinson and McBride for the nine-time All-Star.
The decision would put more pressure on the Knicks to succeed sooner, especially given the fact that George is in his mid-30's and likely won't be able to play at this level for much longer. However, with Jalen Brunson leading the way, George doesn't have to be Batman in Gotham, he also doesn't have to be Robin all the time either. That role can sometimes go to OG Anunoby.
If George is truly looking for a title and the Knicks are interested, it could be a marriage of convenience that can get both parties to where they want to be.
JEREMY BRENER
Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.