The Los Angeles Lakers lost a bit of star power when Dwight Howard left and once Kobe Bryant decides to retire they will be without a true superstar and one way to avoid that is to chase the next ones, including names like Paul George and Carmelo Anthony.
Reports have come out over the past few days that says the Lakers will go after Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James seriously in 2014 and whether that happens or not, the team is proving that it's serious about building something for the future. Another route the could take is with Pacers star Paul George, who many think is the next budding superstar in the league and that he could be one of the top five players in the game over the next few years.
George showed his skills in the playoffs against James himself and the Miami Heat and since he has shown so much potential, other teams will definitely be looking to sign him in 2014 when he is a restricted free agent, although the Pacers will not let him go so easily. According to Pro Basketball Talk, George said that joining the Lakers hypothetically would be an amazing opportunity and due to that quote, Larry Bird later came out and said that the team will be looking to sign George before he hits the market and also that they plan on matching any offer he gets.
George has proven to be an exceptional talent and at just 23-years-old he has plenty of potential and due to that, the Pacers will try and extend him before October 31, as that would allow him to sign a huge extension for five years. The team appears to be serious about keeping him no matter what happens as free agency approaches in 2014 and if he is allowed to become a free agent, teams like the Lakers and others will definitely come looking if names like LeBron or Carmelo are not available.
George made his comments on the radio and while that doesn't mean he wants to join the Lakers, it proves that he is at least contemplating what will happen in 2014. The Pacers are a good franchise and after last season they appear to be moving up in the East, but would George really turn down a chance to play with the Lakers and Kobe if he had that option? That is something the Pacers hope will never come up, but after the way things went with Dwight Howard last season, the Lakers know they need a star for the future and with Kobe getting older and George still so young, he could be a very intriguing option for the franchise.
The Pacers and Heat went at it hard last season in the playoffs and the team took Miami to seven games to show that they are a true force in the East and they could be the ones to finally knockoff James next season. The team lost Tyler Hansbrough but stuck with David West for three more years and that signing could be the first step for the Pacers dominance in the East, as an extension by George would give the Pacers one of the best young players in the game in his prime years.
