The Oklahoma City Thunder shook up the NBA landscape just hours before free agency began by acquiring Paul George from the Indiana Pacers.
George, a four-time All-Star, will join reigning MVP Russell Westbrook to create another dynamic duo in Oklahoma City. The Pacers will receive former Indiana Hoosier Victor Oladipo and second-year big man Domantas Sabonis.
The trade sparked a wave of reactions from players on social media -- including back-to-back Instagram posts courtesy of George himself:
OK Okc!!!
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) July 1, 2017
Playoffs spots are opening up hehehehe #TheProcess
— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) July 1, 2017
Whoaa this about to get wild real quick #nba
— Jeremy Lin (@JLin7) July 1, 2017
Wooooooow!!! Pg to Okc that's wild!!!!
— Ty Lawson (@TyLawson3) July 1, 2017
Allright can we just fusion the east and the west, it's gettin too unbalanced lol
— Rudy Gobert (@rudygobert27) July 1, 2017
PG to OKC😳... didn't see that coming
— Garrett Temple (@GTemp14) July 1, 2017
The west is sick!!!! Best conference in the world!!!!
— Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) July 1, 2017
Pg and Russ that's killer
— Baron Davis (@BaronDavis) July 1, 2017
And free agency hasn't even started yet
— Marcus Thornton (@OfficialMT23) July 1, 2017
Vic to the Pacers?! He might as well run for governor while he's at it!
— Cody Zeller (@CodyZeller) July 1, 2017
Even the Oklahoma City police department chimed in after a quick investigation regarding the trade:
Thanks for the tweets reporting the "theft" of Paul George by @okcthunder.
— Oklahoma City Police (@OKCPD) July 1, 2017
Our investigative findings: totally legal & very savvy.
NFL players also shared their excitement about the blockbuster deal:
PG and Russ! Sit back, where's my popcorn? 🎬⛹🏽📽
— Alshon Jeffery (@TheWorldof_AJ) July 1, 2017
Pg in okc now I'm a okc fan since Kobe not playing no more😂😂😂😂 but lakers go still have my ❤️
— Darius Slay (@_bigplayslay23) July 1, 2017
The NBA's 2017-18 league calendar officially begins Saturday. With George moving to Oklahoma City and Chris Paul to the Houston Rockets, we should be in for an exciting start to the new season.
-- Paul Saldana
