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03/28/2024 04:43:05 pm

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NBA Trade Rumors: Indiana Could Send Paul George, Monta Ellis to Detroit for Three Players, Three Picks

Indiana Pacers players Paul George (L) and Monta Ellis

(Photo : Getty Images) The Pacers could soon trade Paul George (L) and Monta Ellis.

Recent rumors have emerged that the Indiana Pacers could send Paul George and Monta Ellis to the Detroit Pistons for three players and three future draft picks before this season's trade deadline.

According to Yahoo Sports, the Pacers could trade George and Ellis to the Pistons in exchange for Tobias Harris, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Stanley Johnson, and three future first-round draft picks.

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While the package seemed to be quite a haul for Indiana, who would have to give up their franchise player and a shooting guard who is on the "downward half" of his NBA career, the players that they would get appear to be redundant as they are all wing players. However, the three future picks have a lot of value for rebuilding or re-tooling their roster.

Detroit is set to greatly benefit with the arrival of George, who packs more star power than the Pistons' top two players Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson.

Drummond has been selected to the All-Star Game just once and Jackson has not yet been chosen. George is already a three-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA Third Teamer, one-time All-Defensive First Teamer, and the NBA's Most Improved Player in 2013, not to mention that he is also a gold medal-winning Olympian.

With George, the Pistons could potentially form their own Big Three with Drummond and Jackson and it would be just in time for the club's imminent move to another home court in downtown Detroit.

However, giving up three wing players could be a steep price to pay for the Pistons as the team would suddenly lose depth in the small forward and shooting guard positions.

Meanwhile, letting go of George and Ellis would mean that the Pacers are intending to go through a complete rebuild. Harris, Caldwell-Pope, and Johnson are all under 24 and would be a great foundation for the future, but it is evident that one of them will have to be traded again to clear up the logjam.

CBS Local Detroit indicated, though, that the deal is unlikely to happen as both sides have nothing significant to gain from it. 

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