Lakers roundtable: Should Paul George still be a target after the playoffs?

Isaac Gutierrez’ take:

Any fans who are now unsure if the team should pursue Paul George are out of their minds. None of the reasons why the team wanted him have changed, despite his poor performance against the Utah Jazz.

If the team were to sign him George would essentially just fill the role that Kentavious Caldwell Pope occupied this season. He wouldn’t be relied on to create the offense like he was in Indiana, which is ideal for his skill set.

He could slide right into the Lakers motion offense seamlessly. He is better than KCP in every facet of the game.

The critique those now have or George is that he doesn’t perform well in the clutch. For starters, if he were to join the Lakers he would be in the best on the court situation of his career— meaning he will perform better.

In Indiana, he was relied on to create all the offense, which isn’t what he’s best at. And it is well documented how hard it is to play next to Russell Westbrook.

In LA George would get better looks than he’s ever had, including in the clutch when it matters most.

Secondly, let’s just say he is bad in the clutch forever. That doesn’t mean the Lakers shouldn’t sign him. Is KCP some clutch closer? No. No matter what Paul George would be an upgrade over where the team is now.