NBA Trade Rumors: Paul George, The Next Los Angeles Lakers Star? Indiana Pacers Say No

With the Feb. 23, 2017 trade deadline looming ahead, teams looking to upgrade their roster are very prominent in the NBA rumor mill. Two such squads are the struggling Los Angeles Lakers and Indiana Pacers, and the centerpiece of trade talks is no less than perennial All-Star Paul George.

Rumor has it that George - a California native - might be just the missing piece that the Lakers need to get back to their winning ways. The Los Angeles squad is currently at the 11^th spot in the Western Conference, winning only 11 out of 31 games. The Indiana Pacers, on the other hand, have nudged into playoff contention at the 7^th spot in the East, holding a 15-16 win-loss record.

George has become the face of the Pacers franchise, having played for the organization in all his 7 seasons. He's currently having an impressive year; his player stats show he's averaging 21.8 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 23 games played in the '16-'17 season.

It is not the first time that George has made it to the Lakers' radar. Lakers Nation reports that during the NBA offseason, a proposal was in the works to set a blockbuster trade in motion, where young bloods D'Angelo Russell and Brandon Ingram - both #2 overall draft picks in 2015 and 2016, respectively - will be sent to Indiana in exchange for George. However, negotiations fell through, mainly because the Pacers are resolute in keeping their superstar.

As per Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports' The Vertical, the Pacers still have not budged from their stance. Apparently, the answer to teams inquiring for George's availability is still negative. "Absolutely, positively no. He is not available. There is no conversation to be had. Don't even make offers to us. We're not moving Paul George."

If the Pacers maintain this stand, the Lakers will have no choice but to set their sights elsewhere. If rumors are to be believed, they are already looking; an article from Travelers Today reports that Los Angeles is planning to send their guard Jordan Clarkson to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Iman Shumpert, Jordan McRae, and a draft pick in 2020.