Knicks Rumors: Paul George Trade Talks Held; Clippers Star Not Expected to Be Dealt

The Los Angeles Clippers aren't expected to trade star Paul George anytime soon, according to Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer.

Ian Begley of SNY reported the New York Knicks discussed a deal with the Clippers.

According to the Los Angeles Times' Andrew Greif and Broderick Turner, the Knicks "initiated" the deliberations but "have become hesitant about acquiring George" after weighing the idea internally.

Fischer added Los Angeles is rebuffing any outside interest for the moment:

"Portland has indeed registered interest in creating a package around the No. 3 pick for George, sources said, but those talks did not gain any traction with Los Angeles. There has certainly been talk of New York's interest in acquiring George should the Clippers truly make him available, but Los Angeles has the intention to continue bolstering its roster around George and Kawhi Leonard—as evidenced by the team's attempt to bring [Malcolm] Brogdon into the fold."

A report from NBA insider Marc Stein on Tuesday raised eyebrows as it related to the eight-time All-Star.

"League sources tell The Stein Line that the LA Clippers have left various rival teams with the impression through their Draft Week conversations that they are, at a minimum, attempting to gauge Paul George's trade value and, to hear some describe it, giving real consideration to the idea of disassembling the Kawhi Leonard/George tandem."

Stein didn't say the Clippers were openly shopping George around the league, nor was there any indication they were actively conversing about the possibility. But the front office was doing something to indicate a major shift in roster construction is at least plausible.

The Clippers are entering their fifth year of the Leonard/George experiment, and they don't seem to be any closer toward winning a championship than they were before the pair arrived.

Since both players are eligible to hit free agency in 2024, now would be a good time to do something drastic. By trading George, for example, L.A. might be able to land a different All-Star to pair with Leonard. Maybe the team would prioritize draft picks and young players and do the inverse of the trade that got the 33-year-old back on the West Coast.

The Knicks, meanwhile, are keeping their powder dry before they target some marquee name that helps them get to the next level. They passed on Donovan Mitchell last summer, but The Athletic's David Aldridge reported they "were in heavy for a while" on Bradley Beal before his reported move to the Phoenix Suns.

Prior to Stein's report, Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley floated the idea of a three-team blockbuster between the Clippers, Blazers and Knicks.

George went to New York, with Damian Lillard arriving in Los Angeles. Portland, which would be rebuilding after Lillard's departure, received a package headlined by RJ Barrett and three first-round picks.

That would put the Beal deal to shame in terms of what's involved.

Alas, it will remain confined to the hypothetical realm based on Fischer's newest reporting.