INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Pacers announced Thursday they have acquired Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis from the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Paul George.
"We feel very strongly about the potential Victor and Domantas bring to our team and what they mean for the future of the franchise," said Pacers President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard. "Both are highly competitive, highly skilled and both are winners. That is why both were lottery picks, that is why we sought them out to be part of this deal."
Victor Oladipo was drafted by the Orlando Magic as the second overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. As a rookie with the Magic, he was named to the 2013-14 NBA All-Rookie First Team and was twice named Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month (December and February). He played three seasons with the Magic before being traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in June 2016. In his four seasons in the NBA, the 6-4, 210-pound guard has career averages of 15.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. Oladipo played collegiately at Indiana University for three years with averages of 10.7 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.
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Domantas Sabonis was drafted with the 11th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, also by the Orlando Magic, before being traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder later that evening as part of the same trade that sent Oladipo to the Thunder. As a rookie with the Thunder, Sabonis played in 81 games (66 starts) and averaged 5.9 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. He played collegiately at Gonzaga for two years with averages of 13.5 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.
"As for the trade, it was difficult both on a personal and professional level,” said Pritchard. "Everyone here knows what Paul meant to this franchise; he was both a tremendous human being as well as player here for seven years. We thank Paul and his family for their contributions to the Pacers and wish him well."
George was drafted by the Pacers with the 10th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft. In his seven years with the Pacers, he was a four-time NBA All-Star for the Eastern Conference, as well as the 2012-13 NBA Most Improved Player. He was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Month three times (Nov. 2012, Nov. 2015 and Apr. 2017); and was a three-time All-NBA Third Team member (2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16). In those seven years with the Pacers, he had career averages of 18.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.7 steals per game.