Paul George and Kevin Durant (Photo : Twitter)
The Indiana Pacers is not a team mentioned with regards to Kevin Durant's free agency but maybe they should be considered.
The sports fans and media at Indiana would not be faulted for lack of effort. They know they aren't at the top of the speculation list, but that does not stop them from making their own recruiting pitch.
There is already a Twitter hashtag #KevINDYrant that was already trending. While they know it's a long shot compared to other teams like the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat, from a basketball standpoint, Durant choosing the Pacers is not a bad decision at all.
The biggest reason would be Paul George. PG13 is a player that Durant respects and is one of the best two-way players in the league. If LeBron James made a list of players that he didn't want to meet in the playoffs, Paul George would most likely be there along with Kawhi Leonard and Durant himself. The idea of facing a Durant-George tandem in the East would be a nightmare for James.
Basketball site Sir Charles In Charge recognized the potential for a George-Durant tandem.
"If George can post big numbers while side-stepping double teams and battling against every team's best defender, imagine what he'd be able to do alongside the NBA's third best player (Durant)," SCIC writer Michael Saenz suggested.
Saenz also suggested that a Durant-George duo would make them the best in the NBA, rivaling the Splash Brothers in Golden State.
With the anticipated development of rookie Myles Turner, the Pacers could have a formidable core, but they would still need to upgrade the rest of the roster. That is a challenge that Larry Bird would have to take and this is why Ink on Indy told the fans in their city "not to hold their breath" in anticipation.
"The Pacers have their proven superstar in Paul George and a rising star that is Myles Turner. The idea of bringing in another top-10 talent would be a dream come true to Bird and the franchise, but is a major reach of actually happening."
Their roster (if KD joins) could rival the Eastern power Cleveland Cavaliers but would they contend against the Western Conference giants San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors? That's a huge question mark.
The caveat is that Durant has a real option to join both those teams instead of Indiana. Their rosters would have small adjustments to accommodate him, but would still be better than what the Pacers can offer now.
