NBA Trade Rumors: Paul George To Cleveland Cavaliers Talk Heating Up After NBA Finals Loss


The NBA trade rumors connecting Paul George to the Cleveland Cavaliers are heating up in the wake of Cleveland’s loss in the NBA Finals, with reports that Kevin Love may be headed to Indiana to give the Cavs the missing piece needed to beat the Golden State Warriors.

As this year’s season, playoffs, and Finals proved, there are currently only two teams with a chance of winning a title in the current NBA — and one of them isn’t very close. The Warriors and Cavaliers both dominated their respective conferences and rolled through to the NBA Finals, where the Warriors won in a lopsided affair.

With a strong likelihood that next year’s NBA season will play out much like the last three — with the Warriors and Cavaliers marching to the finals once again — there are increasing NBA trade rumors surrounding the Cavs and their intention to land Paul George.

The 2017 NBA Finals showed that the Cavaliers aren’t equipped to beat the Warriors as currently assembled, and LeBron James is growing older with heavy mileage from his many trips to the NBA Finals combined with Olympic and other international appearances. While James hasn’t seen a dropoff in play yet, it’s growing clear that he needs more help to get over the hump and beat the Warriors.

Even averaging a triple-double in the NBA Finals wasn’t enough for LeBron to bring the series beyond five games.

That has led to NBA trade rumors claiming the Cavaliers could send Kevin Love to Indiana in exchange for Paul George. As Jonathan Tjarks from the Ringer noted, the trade would seem to make sense on its face.

“Creating a trade that makes sense for Cleveland and the team that acquires Love is difficult, but there is one possible deal that would work for all parties involved: Love for Paul George. Not only would the trade give Cleveland a much better chance of beating Golden State, it would allow Indiana to remain relevant without George, who is widely rumored to be leaving in free agency at the end of next season. It almost makes too much sense not to happen.”

And as Sports Illustrated writer Ben Golliver noted, LeBron James will certainly need something more to compete with the Warriors, who have Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green all remaining with the team for years to come and all at their peak. Paul George would fit the bill, as he helped Indiana put up the best showing against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs leading up to the NBA Finals by averaging 28 points along with 8.8 rebounds, 7.3 assists, and 1.8 steals.

While the NBA trade rumors connecting Paul George to the Cleveland Cavaliers have heated up in the wake of the Warriors finishing off the Cavaliers, there do not appear to be any solid reports connecting the two.

[Featured Image by Joe Robbins/Getty Images]

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