Jimmy Butler And Paul George On The Same Team? The Stars For The Heat And Clippers Could Have Been Teammates On This Team
The Indiana Pacers probably do not want to remember the 2011 NBA Draft.
In fact, that draft is one of the worst blunders in NBA Draft history.
The Pacers had a future All-Star in Paul George who would be entering his second NBA season, and they also owned the 15th overall selection in the draft.
They traded the draft pick to the San Antonio Spurs in a deal that was headlined by acquiring point guard George Hill.
The pick that was traded by the Pacers was Kawhi Leonard (see Tweet below from Ballislife about the details of the trade).
So, there's that.
Wait, but it gets worse.
Not only did the Pacers give up the draft pick that became superstar Kawhi Leonard, who they could have paired with Paul George in Indiana.
The 30th overall pick in that draft was five-time NBA All-Star Jimmy Butler.
So, they acquired Hill, who by all accounts is and was a solid NBA player, but he is no Leonard or Butler.
There are so many what-ifs to be had if the Pacers were to have kept the pick in that draft.
Would they have drafted Butler?
Probably not, considering he was the 30th overall pick, but they still technically could have.
They also certainly could have kept Leonard, who the Spurs got in the trade.
Career stats:
George Hill: 11.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists
Jimmy Butler: 17.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists, five-time All-Star, five time All-Defense
Kawhi Leonard: 19.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, Five-Time All-Star, two-time Defensive Player of The Year, two-time NBA Champion, two-time NBA Finals MVP
In defense of the move, the Pacers did make two Eastern Conference Finals trips in 2013 and 2014 with George as the stating point guard.
