When the Golden State Warriors delivered a haymaker to their rivalry with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2010s by adding Kevin Durant, there needed to be an equalizer to keep the playing field level. The Cavaliers came close to getting that before it all fell apart. The reasoning for the latter is now clear.
Yaron Weitzman joined The Athletic's NBA Daily podcast to discuss his new book titled, A Hollywood Ending: The Dreams and Drama of the LeBron Lakers. One of the subjects touched upon was the Paul George trade that almost gave LeBron James a major reason to stay in Cleveland.
Alex Speers set the stage for everyone, reminding watchers and listeners of the framework around the potential the trade. The Cavaliers were going to get Paul George, the Denver Nuggets would get Kevin Love, and the Pacers would receive Gary Harris plus a draft pick haul.
Weitzman said, "Someone close to LeBron, who I trusted, told me if Paul George goes to Cleveland, LeBron doesn't leave. ... If the team's that good, is LeBron really leaving Cleveland if Paul George is there?"
The author added that the Pacers, whether through intel or pure assumption, figured out James would have stayed in Cleveland after the trade was finalized. They clearly wanted to remove the threat from the Eastern Conference and Central Division.
Pacers’ refusal to deal Paul George to Cavaliers may have sealed LeBron’s exit
It is tough for anyone in Cleveland to really blame Indiana for coming to the realization being discussed here. Getting a chance to put some distance from the player who was the basketball's biggest talent at the time, and terrorizing the East, was a calculated decision.
George ultimately ended up getting dealt to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis. The Thunder would then pivot the two-way star into a potential dynasty in the making with this current iteration of their team.
After the ripple effects of that failed trade ruined the Cavaliers roster some more, James' fate was indeed sealed. LeBron took his talents to Hollywood, departing Cleveland for the second time in his career, after failing to conquer the Warriors.
James' departure eventually allowed the Cavaliers to bounce back with the strong contending team they have today. Many have even started dreaming of a reunion with the greatest player in franchise history.
Whether that comes to pass is unclear. However, what does seem apparent from this story here is that events could have unfolded in a tremendously altered manner had the dominos fallen a bit differently just less than a decade ago.