The Indiana Pacers are reeling from the Paul George injury and now trade options could be on the table to try and salvage this season and names like David West, Roy Hibbert, Luis Scola or George Hill could be traded and some potential targets for the team could include Eric Gordon, Shane Larkin, Jeff Green, Iman Shumpert, Josh Smith or JR Smith to help replace the production of George in the lineup.
According to ESPN.com, George could be out for the entire 2014-15 season and with the Pacers coming off of a 56-win campaign, they realize their window for winning a title could be closing. George was a budding superstar before his injury and is easily the best player on the Pacers and now the team could look at some drastic options to keep their title chances alive. The team will have George long term, but his future could be up in the air depending on his recovery and that could make it very difficult for the Pacers moving forward.
Pro Basketball Talk and other websites wrote this summer that the Pacers were "quietly" shopping Roy Hibbert and while that may be off the table now that George is hurt, the team could still look at deals. Hibbert was mentioned in trade talks because of how he played in the postseason and also because the Pacers appeared to have plateaued in the east, but now they could look at a deal with him or West or Scola as a way to bring in a strong offensive player to help replace George.
Gordon has been mentioned in trade rumors over the past couple years, while someone like Larkin could come cheap and help on offense after George's injury. Some have suggested that the team looks into Iman Shumpert or JR Smith from the Knicks, as they are looking to offload some guards after making the trade with the Dallas Mavericks and getting Jose Calderon and Larkin. The team has Larkin along with Smith and Shumpert as well as Calderon and that means someone likely is moving along for Phil Jackson and Derek Fisher heading into the season.
The Pacers have some major decisions to make, as the injury to George was devastating and now he could be out for at least a full season and even after that he may never get to 100 percent. Derrick Rose came back from one serious injury and then suffered another one and while he is coming back this year, it could take a while to be at full strength and that is what the Pacers and George are battling with.
No matter who the team brings in it likely will not make up for what George does on the court, but it at least can keep the team above water this year as they try to win. The Central division was tough enough before George was injured with LeBron James coming back to Cleveland and the Chicago Bulls looking strong with a healthy Derrick Rose and Pau Gasol and now winning it could be out of the question for the Pacers without George in the lineup.
