Would a Knicks trade for Paul George be worth the risk?
Another day, another All-Star linked to the Knicks in trade rumors. The latest is the Clippers’ Paul George, a 33-year-old 13-year veteran and one of the game’s elite two-way wings when healthy.
A Marc Stein report read Los Angeles shopped George around at the draft, and SNY’s Ian Begley confirmed the Knicks made contact. It sounds like little came of it as the rumors have calmed since, but they could theoretically pick back up any time.
In 2022-23, George put up 23.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.1 assists on 52.1 percent shooting from two and 37.1 percent from three, along with his usually stellar defense. The downside was he only played in 56 games, his highest mark for a season since 2019.
Should the Knicks pursue the eight-time All-Star with their trove of draft assets and prospects, or wait on the next name to become available?
George is the type of star fans of all 30 teams would die to have, when healthy. He stands at 6-foot-8 and 220 pounds, the perfect modern wing build, able to maneuver between positions at ease. He’s a three-level scorer that can blend in off the ball or take control in the pick-and-roll. He’s dabbled around the 40 percent shooting mark from deep most of his career, and is a proven performer come the postseason.
Defensively, he’s about as high-IQ and high efficiency as they come. He’d fit in extremely well with the Knicks scheme as a go-to stopper, perimeter switcher and weak-side help man. The biggest negative in George’s case is his availability, as he hasn’t cracked 60 games played in four seasons and is only getting older. This, in spite of the load management plans his team put him on, is the scariest prospect when trading for George, who is due an extension.
Outside of the injuries, we’ve seen some slippage in George’s game. He’s not the athlete he once was, and naturally his offense has drifted further away from the rim. He can get a little mid-range happy in isolation, but that shot creation comes in handy come the postseason. In all, he’d be a terrific get for the Knicks, but given the risk profile, price will ultimately determine whether New York should be interested.
If they were to deal, say, RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, salary filler and multiple unprotected first-round picks, that would be an all-in move that hangs the team’s future success on George’s knees. If it’s only Barrett and a mix of picks, the Knicks maintain some of their flexibility and assets, making George’s downside much more palatable.
Many fans may not want to include much of what the Knicks have to offer for an aging, often-hurt star, and for good reason. It’s also unclear exactly what the Clippers are trying to accomplish with a George move, from a complete teardown that would emphasize a return of picks, to a re-tool that could have them asking for Julius Randle.
George’s fit is of little question. The Knicks can be a bit picky with where to upgrade given their talent level, but an elite wing is definitely on the menu. He would instantaneously become the team’s best perimeter defender and should mesh nicely offensively with Jalen Brunson and whoever is left. Despite having that lead scorer ability, he’s no ball hog and operates better among quality teammates.
Unfortunately, New York has to take other factors into account, and may pass when stacking them up against Los Angeles’s asking price. If it ends up aligning with the Knicks’ risk-reward calculation, there are worse stars to gamble on turning your team into a contender than George.
