Getty RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley of the New York Knicks celebrate.
The rumor mill as of late has seen the concept of the New York Knicks trading for Los Angeles Clippers star wing Paul George constantly being broached.
Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes seems to believe he’s constructed a “realistic” package to make this hypothetical exchange become a reality.
The proposed trade reads as follows:
New York Knicks receive: Paul George
Los Angeles Clippers receive: RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Evan Fournier, 2024 first-round pick, 2024 first-round pick (via DAL; top-10 protected)
An eight-time NBA All-Star, Paul George finds himself coming off yet another sound statistical season as he finished off the year boasting impressive per-game averages of 23.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.5 steals while shooting 45.7% from the field and 37.1% from deep.
Unfortunately, he only managed to suit up for 56 games and missed the entirety of the club’s five-game playoff run due to a myriad of ailments. Lacking health has become somewhat of a trend over the last several years for the All-NBA talent, as he has yet to see over 56 games played since being acquired by Los Angeles back in 2019.
Though this trend should certainly be viewed as concerning, Hughes believes that it could also prove to be somewhat of a positive when it comes to negotiations revolving around the $175 million star, as his injury-prone status has only diminished his trade value.
With this, he suggests that while a package headlined by RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley could be perceived as “underwhelming” for someone of his caliber, ultimately, the Clippers may not find a more intriguing offer.
“It’s hard to know whether the Clippers trading George would be the first step in a rebuild. Chances are, with a new arena opening in 2024, the Clips won’t tear the whole thing down by also moving Kawhi Leonard. Either way, Barrett and Quickley are both intriguing pieces—starting-caliber young players (Barrett just turned 23; Quickley is 24) who’ll either lead the next era or give Leonard more durable running mates. Quickley, in particular, could thrive as the spark-plug guard L.A. desperately needs,” Hughes wrote.
Clippers ‘Fans’ of RJ Barrett
While the proposed exchange by Grant Hughes sees the bigger name in Paul George heading to the Knicks, it appears the Clippers themselves would be bringing on a player in RJ Barrett who, according to SNY’s Ian Begley, has supporters within the organization.
“I do know — the Clippers over there — there are some fans of RJ Barrett,” Begley said.
Coming off of a rather up-and-down 2022-23 campaign, RJ Barrett showed flashes of being a legitimate franchise cornerstone on numerous occasions throughout the year and was on an absolute tear for the vast majority of New York’s two-round playoff run.
Seeing 73 games of regular season action, the wing went on to post solid averages of 19.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.8 assists for the Knicks and put up 21.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists while shooting 47.9% from the floor and 35.8% from deep from April 18 through May 10.
Knicks ‘Hesitant’ to Trade For Paul George
Despite the recent rumblings and media coverage regarding recent talks between the Knicks and Clippers on a potential Paul George trade, Andrew Greif and Broderick Turner of the LA Times recently reported that New York is a bit reluctant to actually pull the proverbial trigger on such a deal.
“After some internal discussions, the Knicks have become hesitant about acquiring George. The Knicks also think George’s representatives will ask for a contract extension. He’s due to earn $45.6 million next season and $48.8 million the following season if he exercises his option,” Greif and Turner wrote.
Aside from future financial commitments, this hesitation by the Knicks likely stems from Paul George’s recent injury history, as he has played in just 189 of a potential total of 308 regular season games over the last four seasons.
