Grade the Trade: Wild mock idea has Clippers trading Paul George to Atlanta

The Clippers trade Paul George to the Hawks for an average young core

If the LA Clippers set Paul George on the trade block, they should anticipate the Hawks as one of the first teams to show interest. This is for obvious reasons, as Atlanta has been in the play-in tournament in back-to-back seasons after their Eastern Conference Finals run.

Furthermore, the Eastern Conference is attracting more talent by the season. This forces the Hawks to either rebuild completely or trade for a superstar that will boost them to a top-three seed. Surprisingly enough, George could be their guy if a proposal is accepted.

Last season, George dominated both sides of the ball by averaging 23.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 5.1 assists in slightly under 35 minutes per game. Not to mention George did all of this while shooting 45.7% from the field and 37.1% from beyond the arc. If he didn’t injure his knee late in the year, there was a good chance that the Clippers could have made a deep run in the playoffs.

In regards to the package proposed by Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report, Atlanta finds itself with George. On the flip side, they will be trading away De’Andre Hunter, Bogdan Bogdanović, Kobe Bufkin, and a 2024 first-round pick.

Initially, this looks like a solid return for the Clippers. Hunter has shown signs of promise in his four seasons, and Bogdanović is a proven veteran who can score off the bench. Additionally, LA gains a potential star in the 15th overall selection, Kobe Bufkin, and a future draft pick which could also develop into a promising piece.