Indiana Pacers: Defining moments from the last 10 years

Paul George demands a trade out of Indiana

Following a four-game exit for the Indiana Pacers at the hands of another LeBron James team, Paul George had seen enough. He lost faith in the ability of the Pacers to build a winning team around him and publicly requested a trade.

It was one of the first things Kevin Pritchard had to deal with as a head executive of the team, and probably will be one of the most difficult challenges he’ll have to manage in his entire executive career.

For a small-market team, your marquee star forcing his way out has the potential to be catastrophic, hindering your ability to remain competitive for years to come if you don’t approach the situation with great care.

George forced the Pacers hand and put them in a very tough situation. Other teams knowing George wanted out would lower the cost of what the Pacers were able to ask, meaning the Pacers needed to focus on younger talent that would be ready to blossom in just a short period of time if they wanted a relatively amicable return that would keep them in contention.

The Pacers would end up trading George to the OKC Thunder for Domantas Sabonis and Victor Oladipo.

Sabonis had been misused by the Thunder in his short NBA career and Oladipo looked like a player that could blossom to join the top-tier ranks of the NBA. Even better, Oladipo knew what basketball meant to Hoosiers, having played college basketball in Indiana.

In his first year, Oladipo would win Most Improved Player of the Year and make his first All-Star game, following the next year up with another All-Star selection. Domantas Sabonis would, by his third year (this season) with the Pacers become an All-Star and be the team’s best player in a season largely without Oladipo due to injury.