Report: Larry Bird was determined to reject all pitches for George
It appears that Larry Bird had zero plans to move his All-Star forward.
While ownership felt compelled to gauge the market for Paul George, the Pacers president was adamant in rejecting all pitches for the 26-year-old, sources tell ESPN's Marc Stein.
With four All-Star appearances under his belt, George quickly became one of the most sought-after players at this year's deadline, reportedly garnering interest from the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, and Denver Nuggets. Boston was reportedly willing to surrender Brooklyn's 2017 first-round pick for the George, while the Nuggets offered a "monster package" for the California native.
An unrestricted free agent at the end of next season, George has the ability to sign an extension with Indiana in July, but is reportedly intent on signing with the Lakers in 2018 if the Pacers still aren't a contender.
George is averaging 22.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.6 steals in 50 games for the sixth-seeded Pacers.