Paul George and Tyrese Haliburton 'intrigued' with idea of playing together: Report
Paul George has been a force for the LA Clippers this season. The 8x NBA All-Star has been a key part of their fourth-place run. In Kawhi Leonard, Russell Westbrook and James Harden, he has the team to deliver a maiden championship for the Clippers.
It's tough to imagine if he would shift bases, given the kind of firepower the Clippers possess. However, it has recently been reported that the guard is "intrigued" with the idea of playing alongside his Indiana Pacers superstar Tyrese Haliburton.
George, a former Pacers franchise player, has spent seven seasons with Indiana after starting his career there and has thought about teaming up with the rising star. According to Yahoo's Jake L. Fischer, there appears to be mutual interest in pairing with Hailburton.
“They were intrigued, from my understanding, about the idea of playing together.”
Haliburton inked a max deal with the Pacers ahead of the start of the 2023-24 season and has been a vital cog in their impressive run so far.
The guard, who is on track to lead Eastern Conference guards in the third and final returns from fan voting for the 2024 All-Star Game, has been a breakout star this edition.
Hailburton is averaging 23.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 12.5 assists. His elite scoring ability, astute playmaking and passing skills have been on full display.
It wouldn't be a surprise if one of the bigger names in the league decides to team up with him, as the Pacers and Tyrese Haliburton at this stage, are more than just playoff contenders.
Exploring why Paul George may not want to move back to Indiana
In 2017, the Indiana Pacers agreed a trade that sent Paul George to the OKC Thunder for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis. George, then 27, who had committed to playing with the Pacers that season, later said that he would become a free agent in the offseason and preferred to join the LA Lakers.
As a Southern California native, the preference made sense. He spent two seasons with the Thunder, who traded Paul George to the Clippers for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, five first-round draft picks and the rights to swap two other first-round picks.
While he seemed "intrigued", there's every reason George would not want to move back to Indiana despite the team comprising legitimate game-winners. For starters, he's back in California and is at home with the Clippers. He has established himself as one of the bonafide superstars of the team.
There are also the players he's sharing the locker room with. The James Harden trade immediately elevated the Clippers as title contenders and signaled their "win-now" intent.
With the former MVP in the mix, it's all or nothing for Paul George and the Clippers this season. It's not to say that he's a poor fit with Halburton, but at this stage, he'd rather ply his trade for a team that has maximized his chances of winning his maiden championship.