By Anthony Caruso III | Publisher
The Oklahoma City Thunder have acquired Paul George, according to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis are going back to the Pacers.
The Thunder are taking a huge gamble to acquire George, who is entering the final-year of his contract. He has stated numerous times that he plans to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers next summer.
George was nearly traded to the Boston Celtics on the NBA Draft night. Those talks broke down because the Pacers reportedly wanted the Brooklyn Nets first-round pick that could also be the top overall pick in the 2018 draft.
Other teams were interested in acquiring George, too.
This is Oladipo’s third team — and his second in a year. He was traded to the Thunder from the Orlando Magic in the Serge Ibaka deal. A short-time after being with the team, he had signed a four-year, $84 million contract extension.
Sabonis — the son of former long-time Portland Trail Blazers center Arvydas Sabonis — is already on his third team in just one year. The 21-year-old was drafted by the Magic with the 11th overall pick, then traded with Ersan İlyasova and Oladipo to Oklahoma City.
This past season, Sabonis averaged 5.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.5 steals and 0.4 blocks in 81 games, including 66 starts. Oladipo averaged 15.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.6 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 0.3 blocks in 67 starts.
George, who has spent the past seven-years with the Pacers, averaged a career-high 23.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.6 steals and 0.4 blocks in 75 starts.
