With all their offseason moves, it was Finals or bust for the Clippers. After acquiring Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, this seemed like a sure thing, until it wasn’t. A blown series lead to the Nuggets in the semis, and the Clippers are in a full blown rebuild. Ok, maybe not full blown, but they have some work to do. First, they got rid of Doc Rivers, who’s now in Philly. While some teams would end the retooling there, Steve Ballmer seems far from content with getting rid of Doc. Kawhi was the prize of the offseason, so he’s staying put. However, who was the secondary player LA used to entice Kawhi to come there? Playoff P. With last season a bust, could we see a Paul George to Brooklyn deal?
Why People are Predicting This
?@jasonrmcintyre: “I’ve heard, at the exit interviews, Paul George didn’t get ‘rave reviews’ from his teammates. My person would not be shocked if Paul George was shipped out of town…”
— FOX Sports Radio (@FoxSportsRadio) September 29, 2020
FULL PODCAST: https://t.co/9C30l5N8Ou pic.twitter.com/DHGgHHvdpj
It shouldn’t be news that Playoff P did not deliver in the Bubble this year. Kawhi and George were supposed to dethrone the Lakers as LA’s team. With expectations high, the Clippers rolled through the regular season, finishing second in the west even with Kawhi’s load management and George missing half the games. With some bumps in the road, the Clippers beat Dallas four games to two in the first round. Going up 3-1 against the Nuggets, it appeared we’d have the all-Los Angeles conference finals people wanted. Denver came roaring back, Clippers blew a 3-1 series lead, you’ve heard it all before.
Then came George’s post-series speeches. After dropping ten on 4-16 shooting, Paul George told the team to stay committed and win it all next year. Well, that speech rubbed some teammates the wrong way. Now PG13 could be on his way out, with the Nets as the landing spot. However, would a Paul George to Brooklyn deal work?
Could Paul George to Brooklyn Make the Nets a Finals Lock?
Short answer: yes. Paul George is a talented NBA player, and could make any team a contender. Coupled with Kyrie and KD? That team, on paper, is unstoppable. Both teams could come out looking pretty good: the Nets add another All-Star, and the Clippers add some valuable role players to go along with Kawhi. I have seen a combination of LeVert, Dinwiddie, Allen, and a couple of firsts to make this work, which sounds like a lot. However, with a chance to add a former MVP candidate still in his prime, this seems like a great move for both sides on paper.
Should the Nets Pull the Trigger?
As a Celtics fan, I want them to make this deal so badly. You may have noticed I emphasized on paper a few times. That’s because this is a 2K trade: just throw superstars together, don’t need to worry about chemistry. This could work, or could blow up in their faces.
Playoff P Helps the Nets Win the East
In today’s NBA, all you need are superstars. Look at the Heat with Lebron. That was not a deep team, but they had Lebron, Wade, and Bosh, so they won two rings. With Paul George as the number three option in Brookyln, I don’t care who else is on the floor, that’s a tough team to beat. If this team comes together, no one in the east is stopping them as they roll to the finals.
It Blows Up in Spectacular Fashion
Oh. My. God. This would be hysterical. Kyrie is a known nutcase, KD is soft, and Paul George “superteams” always do so well in the playoffs (i.e. OKC). This would make Shaq and Kobe look like Chandler and Joey from Friends. Paul George chokes at the last minute, KD gets sad and signs with the Lakers, while Kyrie screams about the Earth being flat. Locker room tensions would be higher than the US and USSR during the Yalta Conference, and I am here for it. I am willing to risk the Nets knocking the Celtics out of the playoffs if we could see this absolute dumpster fire in real time. Please, for the love of God, send Paul George to Brooklyn.
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