Here's why you don't trade for Paul George...
1. Current Pacers salary structure
Paul George, Thad Young, Monta Ellis, Al Jefferson, Myles Turner & # 18 Pick = $58mil
That is 6 players, with about $44mil in Cap Space (Not including anything else)
Now let's look at where they need help.... PG / SG or SF / PF & bench
At PG: Jeff Teague, Jrue Holliday, Derrick Rose, or George Hill.... The best choice is Jeff Teague because his cap hold is $13.2mil rather than having to pay Jrue $20mil, George Hill $17-20mil when they already had George Hill and it was the same result.... Or become worse taking DRose over Jeff Teague for similar money as his cap hold.
So now they are down to $31mil in cap space with Teague's cap hold.
Let's look at SG, since Paul George played entirely the 3, and small ball 4 this season....
KCP is getting matched even at the max. DWade is a bad choice and isn't going to leave Chicago for Indiana.
That leaves JJ Redick, Tyreke Evans, Andre Roberson.....That's all bad choices for them... Redick wouldn't be bad, but he's going to get PAID
So move Paul George to SG in Indy & sign a SF..
Gordon Heyward has either more money in Utah, or a far superior team in Boston with a coach he loves... That's not happening.. Otto Porter is staying in Washington
Danilo Gallinari, Andre Iguodala or Rudy Gay
PF: Blake, Serge & Milsap have either more money, better situation, or better suitors than Indiana
That leaves Nikola Mirotic, Erysan Ilysova or Taj Gibson.
But let's get fun.... Let's say they go Jeff Teague, Danilo Gallinari & re-sign CJ Miles (whose cap hold is about $6mil)
Jeff Teague
Paul George / Monta Ellis / Joe Young
Danilo Gallinari / CJ Miles / Gorges Niang
Thad Young / #18 Pick / Kevin Seraphin
Myles Turner / Al Jefferson
That team isn't better than the Cavs, Raptors for all their playoff stank is a better team, Celtics are better and will be better than this past season, Wizards, Bucks...
So at best the Pacers are a 6th seed, and losing in the first round again.
2. You assume that Bird will ask for Russell + Top 3 pick + Clarkson (And that's assuming we keep the pick, if we lose it, it would be Russell + Randle + Clarkson... Probably Nance or Zubac as well)........... Why the hell would he take Deng or Mozgov when trading George indicates a rebuild? No reason to.
So now you're sitting at
Jrue Holliday
Paul George
Brandon Ingram / Luol Deng
Julius Randle / Larry Nance Jr.
Ivica Zubac / Timofey Mozgov
Good luck being the Indiana Pacers in the Western Conference playing 2 teams absolutely better than the Cavs.
3. The alternative of waiting is far better.
Top 3 Pick
Russell / Clarkson / Nwaba
Ingram
Randle / Nance
Zubac
That's 7 rotation players at only $42mil in the year Paul George is a FA...
Paul George puts you at $72mil.. Stretch Deng & Mozgov and save about $20mil... From there you only have 1 hole and that's at the Center spot... You're more than covered 1-3 spots.
Unless you're getting a sweet heart deal where you're not trading guys that you won't be able to replace (that includes Russell because Clarkson and not the Top 3 pick will be replacing Russell, if we assume we are keeping the pick.... JC is never going to be as good as DAR is, even now) then any trade looks stupid, and will crater the team in the 7th or 8th seed up to the time that Randle, Nance, Ingram & Zubac's salaries will triple or quadruple.
If you look at all the young guys we have... Ingram / Russell / Zubac / Randle are the guys you will have significant trouble replacing... Clarkson can be replaced, Nance may not be replaceable at his position, but a similar role guy off the bench is possible