The Indiana Pacers are in a holding pattern with Paul George until a team sweeps them off their feet with the right deal.

The Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers are the leaders in the George race. Things are undoubtedly about to heat up on the trade rumor front with free agency beginning July 1, but will a team walk away with the prize that is George?

The Pacers absolutely need to trade George before he walks as a free agent in the summer of 2018, but they've been unwilling to compromise. Indiana's leverage in negotiations is nearly non-existent, though, with fear of the superstar swingman joining the Lakers next summer. 

That's left the Lakers with little-to-no reason to pawn off their young talents like Brandon Ingram or Lonzo Ball, which is one of the reasons a deal between the sides hasn't happened yet. Los Angeles is playing its cards tightly and have reason to believe George is ready to come home next summer. 

It probably doesn't hurt that George has reportedly continued telling those within his circle that he's still Lakers bound, even while rumors of the Celtics and Cavaliers making a play for him swirl. Every indication points to LA being wise to sit tight on this situation.

"According to people not authorized to speak publicly, George, a Palmdale native, is still telling friends that he intends to be a Laker in 2018. Because of that, he knows the Lakers have little incentive to trade for him now," reports Tania Ganguli of the Los Angeles Times. 

Ganguli reported this on Thursday, one day before free agency, so it's clear George has not relented in his plans to return to his home in Southern California. That he's still vocally pushing for a return to Los Angeles is a devastating blow to Indiana, and cause to pause for teams like Boston and Cleveland before they give away valuable pieces for a one-year rental player. 

The Lakers have been operating under this assumption, attaching Timofey Mozgov's contract to D'Angelo Russell in a shocking trade days before the NBA Draft. It was a move to clear salary cap space for the summer of 2018, and it's clear George is one of the players they're planning on using that money on in the future.

For Indiana, they may eventually need to lower their asking price with the reality setting in that George is determined to be a Laker next summer.