Thanks to a recent rule change, the All-NBA teams have taken on an even more important meaning for some players. Making any of the All-NBA teams qualifies players for a “supermax” contract worth more than $200 million.
For Indiana Pacers forward Paul George, as well as Utah’s Gordon Hayward, the increase would make it far more feasible to stay with their current teams. George, in particular, has long been rumored to be ready to leave Indiana when he is a free agent in 2018.
On Thursday, the NBA announced the All-NBA teams and both George and Hayward failed to make the third team, via Shams Charania of The Vertical:
Indiana star Paul George and Utah's Gordon Hayward did not make the All-NBA team, league sources tell @TheVertical.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 18, 2017
The first team went as expected with Russell Westbrook, James Harden, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, and Anthony Davis being named. The second team also went the way most expected and consisted of Stephen Curry, Isaiah Thomas, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant, and Rudy Gobert.
The third team was always a major question as George and Hayward were competing with the likes of Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler. Ultimately those two won out over George and Hayward, joining John Wall, DeMar DeRozan, and DeAndre Jordan.
With George failing to make the All-NBA team, it will only further increase the belief that he will leave Indiana next summer. If all of the rumors are true, George is intent on coming to the Lakers and reportedly L.A. is confident they can land him in free agency. Of course, if Indiana feels they won’t be able to keep him around they will likely look to move him to get something in exchange.
Hayward is a free agent this year, and it is also unclear whether he will choose to remain in Utah. He has been linked to both the Celtics (he played college basketball at Butler under Brad Stevens) and the Pacers (was born and raised in Indiana). There certainly looks to be some big moves potentially on the horizon.
