Pacers' resurgence has former star eyeing summer reunion

The Indiana Pacers are slowly becoming a prominent team in the Eastern Conference. The emergence of Tyrese Haliburton has made the franchise fun again. Their run to the In-Season Tournament Final likely caught the eye of players around the league. 

According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, former Pacers star Paul George is intrigued by the potential of returning to the Pacers this summer. Indiana is the team that drafted him back in 2010. 

"There have been growing whispers not only of Philadelphia’s eye toward George but also George’s own intrigue by returning to Indiana and becoming the latest running mate for Tyrese Haliburton alongside Siakam," Jake Fischer reported.

George, 33, remains one of the best two-way forwards in the NBA. His tenure with the LA Clippers has been tumultuous due to a litany of injury struggles. However, this season, he's playing like an All-Star. In 47 games, George has averaged 22.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists, shooting 45.6% from the field and 40.3% from the 3-point range. 

A potential big three of Haliburton, George and Pascal Siakam would likely be enough to cement the Pacers as contenders. However, Indiana would likely need to perform some cap acrobatics to get a deal over the line. A potential sign-and-trade seems the most logical route. However, the Pacers could opt against bringing George back.

The Pacers are built on a young and exciting core. They play fast. Adding an aging veteran with a history of injury issues to be a third star brings a significant amount of risk. George will undoubtedly have multiple teams interested in acquiring him this summer. The Clippers will likely be at the front of the line.

Yet, if George is willing to take a hometown discount, and the Pacers are open to a reunion, we could see him head back to where his career began. He may have to forgo another max contract, though, and that would be unlikely considering where he is in his career.