We all know star forward Paul George wants out of the Indiana Pacers. Whether it be this summer or the next, PG’s desire to bolt Indiana and join the Los Angeles Lakers one way or another is evident.
It’s seemed obvious for months now that George wasn’t pleased with how things were playing out for the Pacers and his standing has remained shaky since the midway point of last season.
However, to Pacers President Kevin Pritchard, hearing that George wanted out came as a major surprise. He wasn’t expecting his franchise centerpiece to be so adamant about moving on but that is exactly what has transpired.
When asked about George’s comments about his nonexistent future with the Pacers, Pritchard called his remarks ‘a gut punch’ and was disappointed with the timing of it all. Following from Mike Wells of ESPN:
Indiana Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard called it a “gut punch” when he found out that All-Star Paul George does not want to be part of the franchise long term.
“It couldn’t have come at a worse time,” Pritchard said at the conclusion of Thursday’s NBA draft. “If we would have known this a few months ago, I think we could have been more prepared. Becoming public was a big issue.
“We want our players to want to be here, that’s important. It really is. When Paul said he didn’t, that’s a gut punch.”
Pritchard likely had big plans in mind for Indiana’s future and building around George. When PG voiced his desire to head to LA by next summer at the latest, it had to be a hard pill to swallow for Pritchard and the rest of the Pacers front office. As the offseason develops, the Paul George saga should come to an end and one that is likely him leaving Indiana.
