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Will LeBron and Paul George be a package deal

By Quenton S. Albertie

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - FEBRUARY 13: Paul George #13 of the Oklahoma City Thunder defends LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the game on February 13, 2018 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - FEBRUARY 13: Paul George #13 of the Oklahoma City Thunder defends LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the game on February 13, 2018 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Will LeBron James and Paul George have to come as a package for the Cleveland Cavaliers?

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James and Oklahoma City Thunder forward Paul George should be a team’s package deal this offseason, whether that brings them to Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Cleveland or to any of the 26 other cities where NBA arenas are located.

It just has to happen.

George has the talent to be the Scottie Pippen to James’ Michael Jordan.

(San Antonio Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard does as well but George is the one who is both completely healthy and set to be a free agent in the offseason.)

Should James display a desire to play with George and George determine that teaming up with James (who has been to eight consecutive NBA Finals) is what’s best for his career, the duo will be able to dominate the league for at least two or three seasons.

The stories of James recruiting George to the Cavs in 2017 — or George’s recent exclamations of how much he enjoys playing with James — are reason enough to believe that the two superstars will join forces in the offseason, either by chance or design.

While the idea of superteams, a team with at least three All-Star caliber players, has driven the league to seek ways to acquire such a collection of talent, the championship teams seem to almost always have the most dominant duo.

James and Kyrie Irving or Dwyane Wade. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson or Kevin Durant. Wade or Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. Tim Duncan and Tony Parker or David Robinson. Jordan and Pippen. Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler. Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson.

Having a superduo, a combination of future Hall or Fame talents, may not be the only thing that can propel a team to a championship but it certainly matters as much as having a great “team.” You need look no further than the Warriors replacement of Harrison Barnes with Durant to see how creating a superduo enhances the championship chances of a team.

Against a team like the Warriors (who have won three rings in four seasons), even though it’s often said that you need a superteam to defeat them, the teams that have had the best success against them in recent postseasons put the ball in the hands of their two best playmakers and everyone else gets out of the way.

The Houston Rockets took the Warriors to seven games in the Western Conference Finals with heavy reliance on James Harden and Chris Paul isolating. Prior to Durant signing with the Warriors, he and Russell Westbrook took turns isolating and took the Warriors to seven games in the Western Conference Finals. Then in the Finals, James and Irving would take turns dismantling the Warriors defense before winning the series in seven games.

Positional versatility. Athleticism. Defense. Three-point shooting. Depth.

These all matter.

Yet, without the right superduo, even that may not be enough.

George has averaged 22.9 points (43.6 percent from the field and 38.9 percent from three), 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.8 steals per game over the last three seasons. He averaged 26.5 points (42.0 percent from the field and 40.1 percent shooting from three), 7.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.7 steals per game in the postseason in that same time frame.

James has averaged 26.4 points (53.7 percent from the field and 35.0 percent shooting from the three), 8.2 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.7 blocks per game over the last three seasons. He averaged 31.0 points (54.2 percent shooting from the field and 36.5 percent shooting from three), 9.2 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 1.9 steals and 1.2 blocks per game in the postseason over that same time frame.

James will team up with a player in George whose ball-handling, shooting stroke and ability to play 2 through 4 fits seem to be a seamless fit beside the King. That George has averaged more points in the postseason these last three years than James, a perennial MVP candidate, has averaged in the regular season in that time shows the dominant scorer that the Prince is.

James’ chess master approach, passing prowess and dominance inside mashes well with George’s scoring mindset and outside shooting. On defense, George will be able to lock down an opposing wing and increase the team’s chances of winning.

The two are a match made in heaven.

Related Story: 5 free agents that the Cavs should consider signing

*All stats gathered from www.basketball-reference.com