“Parting is such sweet sorrow.” —
William Shakespeare
I really don’t know Paul George the person, other than being around him at professional basketball games.
Sure, like a number of young people, he’s made some mistakes, but it’s not easy for some to handle fame and fortune, so perhaps I’ll just chalk it up to that and take the high road. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, Pacers fans, you’re acutely aware of George’s dismay with the organization, and you’ve likely noticed they’ve been testing the waters to see what he would bring in a trade. Yes, his employer had the unmitigated gall to shop around to see exactly what they could obtain for George’s services before his contract expires at the end of next season and he bolts away.
What a travesty, indeed, that he is apparently on shaky ground with the team that could pay him in excess of $200 million if they could just come to an agreement about his future. That much cash is quite a conundrum, and the situation isn’t, shall we say, exactly fluid.
Forget the fact that on national television P.G. stopped short of saying he would definitely be back after his current deal expires in 2018, and you can also dismiss the comments he made to the local media after the trading deadline expired, regarding his desire to be kept in the loop about his ZIP code changing.
Yes, toss all of that to the wind. It is totally irrelevant, as Paul George will opt out of his contract with the Pacers, if they haven’t already traded him, and that’s the bottom line.
George is enamored with playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, and there’s really nothing wrong with that. Free agency in the NBA is a beautiful thing for the players, and you can bet Magic Johnson will welcome him as a key piece of his reclamation project in L.A. That being said, let’s just accept it and allow the string to be played out, and deal with the reality that small-market teams cannot afford multiple high-dollar players, no matter how rich their owner really is.
Sure, Herb Simon can afford to do what he wants, but he’s a savvy businessman, and he won’t be held hostage by George’s agent and their reluctance to sign the extension the Pacers offered him some time ago. More than likely, the Pacers will orchestrate a deal with the Lakers this summer to avoid a lame duck season and get more for him than they would if they awaited the trade deadline in 2018.
Sounds like a neat little package for both parties, eh? Not exactly. Determining what George is really worth will be the sticking point, and while he wants to be recognized contractually as a superstar, the fact remains that he’s simply an extremely good player who will be paid a ton of money, regardless of the fact that there is still a flight of stairs between him and the premier players in the NBA.
With all that said, why is it so hard to understand what is imminent? And would anyone really be upset for the guy wanting to play elsewhere? Los Angeles is a great place to continue the branding process, and the bright lights and opportunities that he can harness as a member of the Lakers are certainly enormous. Sure, it’s also a homecoming of sorts, but the fact that the Pacers have invested in this guy and babied him far too much doesn’t mean squat to George’s agent, and it really shouldn’t.
Look, George will have the same problems on the floor in Lakerland that he’s had here: lack of focus, bantering with officials, demanding the ball and jacking up ill-advised jumpers early in the shot clock. The entire Pacers brass has attempted to work with this young man, and the relationship is now stagnant and completely over. He’s going to move on, and it isn’t the end of the world locally. Give his representatives credit for negotiating the out option and even more for leveraging it. That’s business, baby, and while the decision may be painful for some, it’s joyful for employee No. 13. Getting through these next 20-some regular season games won’t be that big of deal, and any playoff games they may earn will have a quick exit attached to them. It is all crystal clear, and there’s no reason to hate George for it.
In fact, let me give the mercurial one some unsolicited advice before he calls the moving company: Don’t sweat it, as it’s no problem to bolt town and hook up with Magic and maybe even Russell Westbrook at some point. The Lakers will spend whatever it takes to return to glory, and you just might help them achieve all that and then some. The decision is rightfully yours and you’ve made it, so live with it and let the chips fall where they may.
I wish you great health and good luck, but do us all one favor before you leave — play hard every game you have left with the Pacers. Dive for loose balls and crash the boards. Keep your teammates involved and be unselfish. Give it all you have and leave nothing but your sweat on the floor when the game ends. Take time to recognize and impact the less fortunate in this community who look up to you. Be a solid citizen and don’t embarrass yourself or the franchise. Those are things you do owe the Pacers, and you’re being paid quite well currently to do all of them. The right to split is yours; you’ve earned it. However, make sure your exit strategy is sound and honorable. Leave things better than they were when you found them. That’s not asking much, and I personally think you can do all that easily and still be happy. Again, it’s OK to leave. No hard feelings.
Danny Bridges, who has been critical of Paul George before but wishes him well, can be reached at (317) 370-8447 or at Bridgeshd@aol.com.
