Larry Bird Says Paul George Trade Rumors Were 'Fake News'

The scourge of "fake news" has infiltrated the NBA, according to Indiana Pacers team president Larry Bird.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times' Tania Ganguli, Bird denied the Pacers ever considered trading forward Paul George. In addition, he refuted the rumor he discussed a possible George trade in a phone call with Los Angeles Lakers president Magic Johnson.

"I wasn't motivated to move [George] at the deadline," Bird said. "I can't remember if it was even brought up or not. I don't think it was. It's all fake news anyway. You know that. Somebody's gonna start it and [it] just was a snowball effect. [The phone call] was not about [George]."

ESPN.com's Ramona Shelburne reported Feb. 23 that Johnson called Bird shortly after becoming the Lakers' president. George's availability was reportedly a cursory topic of discussion between the two legends at the very least.

According to The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Pacers discussed potential deals that would've strengthened the current roster, thus continuing to build around George. The team also considered moves that would've signaled a full-scale rebuild, with Myles Turner as the franchise cornerstone.

The fact George remained in Indiana surprised some NBA fans. He can become a free agent after the 2017-18 season, so the Pacers continue to lose leverage the closer they get to next winter's trade deadline.

Bird may like the Pacers' chances of re-signing George, but it's far from a guarantee the 26-year-old will want to stay in Indiana.

Wojnarowski reported the Lakers could be a strong contender for George's signature. George is a native of Palmdale, California, and the opportunity of playing alongside the Lakers' stable of young stars could be tempting in another year.

The fact Bird wants to quash speculation regarding George's future doesn't change the fact it will be a dominant storyline around the Pacers until he either re-signs with the team or is traded.