NBA Trade Rumors: Indiana Pacers feeling out the Paul George market

While they may not part with him this week, the Indiana Pacers will reportedly be seeing what the trade market is for All-Star small forward Paul George.

Two big names have already been moved before the 2017 NBA trade deadline. The Toronto Raptors acquired power forward Serge Ibaka from the Orlando Magic. On All-Star Sunday, the New  Orleans Pelicans landed center DeMarcus Cousins from the Sacramento Kings.

With the 2017 NBA trade deadline of 3:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, Feb. 23 rapidly approaching, there is one team reportedly testing the waters to see what its star player could garner this cycle. That team is the Indiana Pacers, reportedly feeling out the trade market for four-time NBA All-Star small forward Paul George.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical of Yahoo! Sports, “the Indiana Pacers are gauging the trade market on All-Star forward Paul George.” George won’t hit unrestricted free agency until summer 2018, but the Pacers are a bit skeptical if the Los Angeles native will re-sign with Indiana.

While this isn’t an endeavor of intense urgency for the Pacers, they do need to be pragmatic about the possibility of losing its best player since Reggie Miller in George for nothing in two summers.

Wojnarowski would add that the Pacers have to decide whether to build a contender around George or opt for a complete rebuild, centering around second-year pro center Myles Turner.

Given that Indiana is currently the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference Playoff picture, don’t expect Pacers team president Larry Bird to part ways with George for anything less than a massive return.

George has led the Pacers to a pair of Eastern Conference Finals in his time in Indianapolis. When he’s one, George is a top-10 player in basketball. One could argue that he might even be able to be the best player on a championship contending team.

Trading George prematurely at the 2017 NBA trade deadline would absolutely devastate Indiana. Bird went after veterans like point guard Jeff Teague, forward Thaddeus Young, and center Al Jefferson to give new head coach Nate McMillan a shot at challenging the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference. It hasn’t worked out thus far.

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Don’t expect Bird to pull the trigger and trade George in the next 24 hours, but do think that the Pacers organization is preparing for the reality that they could be losing George in two summers.