PG-13th Avenue? Knicks, Clippers Had 'Contact' on Paul George Trade
With an unknown pick during the 2023 NBA Draft, the New York Knicks select ... Paul George?
Speculation reigns over the New York Knicks' potential activities during Thursday's draft (8 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN), where they do not appear amongst the 58 selections on the draft board. They are, however, leaving no stone unturned in the undrafted rookie and veteran movement fronts and a report from Ian Begley of SNY hints that they're gauging the sails on a trade for Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George.
"The Knicks and Clippers have had contact about a potential Paul George trade," Begley says. "It is unknown if the Clippers are willing to move George. (NBA insider Marc Stein) reported earlier that Clips gave rival teams the impression that they were gauging George's trade value last week."
Like so many other intriguing veteran targets on the Knicks' radar, George has the talent to change a franchise's fortunes: having averaged 23.2 points and 6.3 rebounds over four seasons after arriving from Oklahoma City in a 2019 trade, George was part of the Clippers' first trip to the conference finals in 2021.
But, not unlike Zion Williamson and the since-traded Bradley Beal, George's impact has been pacified by injuries, missing 77 games due to medical issues over the past two years alone. That includes the final nine games of this regular season and all five games of the Clippers' brief playoff run, dropping their first-round series to Phoenix in five games.
Whether the Knicks use their excess draft capital over the coming years to get into the more immediate selections remains to be seen. The idea of veteran movement, however, will expand far beyond Thursday.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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