Indiana Pacers Can’t Miss on the Paul George Experiment

“With Paul George, it’ll be taxing to his body, because they’re going to bang him”, Dudley said on the Lowe Post podcast.

Despite George’s unhappiness with the forced change, Bird has this to say in reference to his position change back in the day: “He don’t make the decisions around here”. While it’s hard to see George start off the year frustrated with his new role, if anyone can conquer yet another obstacle and continue the ascent to greatness, it’s Paul George. As the season goes, it might be better for me to just be at my regular position. At 6-foot-9, 220 pounds, George has the size to compete down low, and while his back-to-the-basket game isn’t quite at Carmelo Anthony-levels for a combo forward, it has still proven to be very serviceable.

Paul George isn’t thrilled about playing power forward this season. George, though, is the focal point of the Pacers offense and will exert more energy than ever before throughout a game. Team president Larry Bird has repeatedly said George will see time at power forward as part of an overhaul that will make the Pacers a high-volume offensive team.

George told USA TODAY Sports’ Sam Amick he isn’t exactly sold about the move this week, though he will help the team any way he can. “I feel like I had a whole year to really work on my game and work on my body, so I feel great coming into a new year”. I wasn’t extremely thrilled about it when they first presented it to me”, George said, “but the way the league is going and my playing style, I think I can fit right into it. We’ll see how it goes during camp whether I’m comfortable with it or not, then we’ll just make that decision from there.

Overall, the newly dubbed #13 told the media that he was “uncomfortable” with the thought of playing at that spot for the entirety of the season, but that he was “open to the position” for the time being and that as camp progressed perhaps he would become more at ease. “But I told them I was open to the situation and (we’ll) see where it goes”. And while he’s open to helping the team, you can understand why he’d be hesitant to move out of his natural position. That, too, is exciting, especially since Indiana’s stated goal to score more per game.

“An idea on paper is to have a starting lineup of George Hill, Monta Ellis, C.J. Miles, Paul George and Ian Mahinmi”, said Vogel, listing the starters in order from point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward and center. In addition, Vogel and select players will conduct press conferences from the Collins/Fuson Interview Room. He looks stronger. He stops better. However, the main problem with George starting at power forward is simply his hesitation and dissatisfaction in doing so. He was a star small forward during the early stages of his career with the Boston Celtics, but ended up moving to power forward and dominating opposing defenses. Then of course there’s Myles Turner, who many are hoping will win the starting spot over Mahinmi if he can live up to the hype that has begun to surround him since the Summer League. Much of their front-court consists of big men from the bench past year and players from the scrap heap in free agency. “He’s a basketball player, and we can put him anywhere out there”.