Pacers continue to sell Paul George on the virtues of playing power forward

Can the Pacers convince their star to embrace the power forward position?

Author:
Rob Mahoney
Publish date:
Oct 6, 2015

It took all of one preseason game for Paul George to voice his displeasure about his positional shift to power forward, even though the germ of the idea dates back months. In April, team president Larry Bird made clear that, even while presuming David West's return, he'd like to see George log time at the four. Both he and Pacers coach Frank Vogel were asked periodically about that stance throughout the off-season and affirmed it at every turn. George would be the key to Indiana's small-ball pivot, whether as a change-of-pace tactic or a more dedicated strategy.

Yet something in that transition—whether the magnitude of the role in the wake of West's departure or the implied permanence of starting at the position—has brought George unease. Indiana's star forward spoke to his doubt both before his first game and after. His trepidation is entirely fair. We've been trained as media consumers to seize on any inconsistency in message as a source of drama. What's transpired thus far in Indiana is far less sensational: A player comfortable and successful in his on-court responsibilities is skeptical of a significant change. For as often as the NBA is discussed as an increasingly positionless league, the power forward spot will demand very different things of George than the small forward position did.

Examining the best and worst bets for the 2015—16 NBA over/under lines

A day-one matchup with Anthony Davis, the Pelicans' starting power forward, spoke to that fact. George will have more rotational duties as a four, more difficult box-out assignments, and the distinct pleasure of fighting off bulkier players down in the post. The move also takes George, one of the NBA's best perimeter stoppers, away from where he's done his best defensive work to date. Concern is natural. It's now on the Pacers to assuage whatever doubts George may have while proving that this arrangement can work. Vogel, in speaking with George to clarify the extent of this change after the Pacers' first preseason game, has handled George's public comments deftly.

“He knows the big picture, we’re all on the same page,” Vogel said, per Candace Buckner of the Indianapolis Star. “I don’t have any problem with him speaking his mind—as long as he’s communicating with me too, which he is.”

A Pacers organization fronted by two bold, outspoken men hasn't sought to muzzle George. They've moved instead to secure his buy-in, that precious commodity that makes any successful gameplanning work. Adequate coaches can identify workable solutions to various problems. Good ones are able to sell those solutions to their players and translate concept to practice. Getting a player—particularly a star like George—to buy in requires a degree of salesmanship, which is as much a coach's purview as drawing up plays or making in-game adjustments.

• MORE NBA: Training camp storylines: Western Conference | Eastern Conf.

Vogel is making that pitch. The reasons for George's slight pushback are well understood; an All-Star wing player coming off of a broken leg wants to get back to his game rather than reshape it to the needs of a new position. Indiana, in turn, made clear that this was a possibility at the end of last season, worked out the possibility over the summer, and clarified with George during what is still the Pacers' training camp. This is precisely the time of year for this kind of experimentation, not to mention a healthy development for a team in Indiana's position. By no means will the Pacers be a title contender this season. They've elected instead to alter their core and rework their formula to see how some of the same pieces might work toward different ends.

Roundtable: Which NBA star is under the most pressure this season?

“You can’t make small reactions," Vogel said. "It’s going to be a big picture thing, and we’re going to do what’s best to win basketball games. Winning is more important than style of play, but this style of play, I think, gives us—this group—the best chance to win basketball games.”

In time, George might come to be more accepting of that big-picture perspective than he was initially. Starting at power forward, after all, doesn't mean that George will be spending all of his time there. Indiana doesn't have the wing personnel to make that kind of arrangement work on a full-time basis nor the inclination to do so. And although C.J. Miles is the initial starter at small forward alongside George, a good chunk of the minutes at that position will be filled by Solomon Hill—a fellow combo forward who could just as easily be penciled in at the four when playing with George.

The point of this change is to put the Pacers on the whole in positions where they can take advantage of their quickness and playmaking in open space. That should help George as much as anyone, as Bird has alluded to on multiple occasions; even a little success in streaking past slower power forwards should nudge George toward the Pacers' hard sell. Fundamentally, George wants to help Indiana win. All he needs is to be convinced, through theory and practice, that starting and playing at power forward are his best means to do so.

• MORE NBA: SI.com's Top 100 NBA players of 2016

Top 100 NBA Players of 2016

#100 — Giannis Antetokounmpo

John W. McDonough for Sports Illustrated

Bucks | Forward | Last year: —

#99 — Wesley Matthews

Mavericks | Guard | Last year: 72

#98 — Donatas Motiejunas

Rockets | Forward | Last year: —

#97 — Nerlens Noel

76ers | Forward | Last year: —

#96 — Josh Smith

Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

Clippers | Forward | Last year: 53

#95 — Roy Hibbert

Lakers | Center | Last year: 52

#94 — Reggie Jackson

Pistons | Guard | Last year: —

#93 — J.J. Redick

Clippers | Guard | Last year: 93

#92 — Lou Williams

Lakers | Guard | Last year: —

#91 — Andrew Wiggins

Timberwolves | Forward | Last year: —

#90 — Taj Gibson

Bulls | Forward | Last year: 75

#89 — Amir Johnson

Celtics | Forward | Last year: 71

#88 — Isaiah Thomas

Celtics | Guard | Last year: 90

#87 — Ricky Rubio

Timberwolves | Guard | Last year: 87

#86 — Kenneth Faried

Nuggets | Forward | Last year: 77

#85 — Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

Hornets | Forward | Last year: —

#84 — Robin Lopez

Knicks | Center | Last year: 82

#83 — Deron Williams

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

Mavericks | Guard | Last year: 45

#82 — Joe Johnson

Nets | Guard | Last year: 51

#81 — DeMarre Carroll

Raptors | Forward | Last year: —

#80 — George Hill

Pacers | Guard | Last year: —

#79 — Brandon Knight

Suns | Guard | Last year: —

#78 — Tobias Harris

Magic | Forward | Last year: —

#77 — Jonas Valanciunas

Raptors | Center | Last year: 80

#76 — Andrew Bogut

Warriors | Center | Last year: 65

#75 — Thaddeus Young

Nets | Forward | Last year: 69

#74 — Tiago Splitter

Hawks | Center | Last year: 70

#73 — Danilo Gallinari

Nuggets | Forward | Last year: 62

#72 — Ryan Anderson

Pelicans | Forward | Last year: 59

#71 — Paul Pierce

Clippers | Forward | Last year: 46

#70 — Tristan Thompson

Cavaliers | Forward | Last year: —

#69 — Hassan Whiteside

Heat | Center | Last year: —

#68 — Timofey Mozgov

Cavaliers | Center | Last year: —

#67 — Nikola Vucevic

Magic | Center | Last year: 89

#66 — Chandler Parsons

Mavericks | Forward | Last year: 56

#65 — Trevor Ariza

Rockets | Forward | Last year: 83

#64 — Markieff Morris

Suns | Forward | Last year: —

#63 — Marcin Gortat

Wizards | Center | Last year: 58

#62 — Bradley Beal

Wizards | Guard | Last year: 76

#61 — DeMar DeRozan

Raptors | Guard | Last year: 61

#60 — Derrick Rose

Bulls | Guard | Last year: 23

#59 — Jrue Holiday

Pelicans | Guard | Last year: 50

#58 — Tyreke Evans

Pelicans | Forward | Last year: 84

#57 — Monta Ellis

Pacers | Guard | Last year: 66

#56 — Luol Deng

Heat | Forward | Last year: 55

#55 — Nicolas Batum

Hornets | Forward | Last year: 43

#54 — Kobe Bryant

Lakers | Guard | Last year: 24

#53 — Tony Parker

Spurs | Guard | Last year: 15

#52 — Rudy Gay

Kings | Forward | Last year: 67

#51 — Ty Lawson

Rockets | Guard | Last year: 44

#50 — Danny Green

Spurs | Guard | Last year: 96

#49 — Zach Randolph

Grizzlies | Forward | Last year: 42

#48 — Greg Monroe

Bucks | Forward | Last year: 68

#47 — Al Jefferson

Hornets | Center | Last year: 26

#46 — Kyle Korver

Hawks | Forward | Last year: 74

#45 — Khris Middleton

Bucks | Forward | Last year: —

#44 — Andre Iguodala

Warriors | Forward | Last year: 29

#43 — Joakim Noah

Bulls | Center | Last year: 17

#42 — Goran Dragic

Heat | Guard | Last year: 35

#41 — Jeff Teague

Hawks | Guard | Last year: 92

#40 — Pau Gasol

Bulls | Forward | Last year: 49

#39 — Rudy Gobert

Jazz | Center | Last year: —

#38 — Brook Lopez

Nets | Center | Last year: 36

#37 — Derrick Favors

Jazz | Forward | Last year: 79

#36 — Tyson Chandler

Suns | Center | Last year: 39

#35 — Andre Drummond

Pistons | Center | Last year: 37

#34 — Kyle Lowry

Raptors | Guard | Last year: 30

#33 — Eric Bledsoe

Suns | Guard | Last year: 33

#32 — Paul Millsap

Hawks | Forward | Last year: 34

#31 — Gordon Hayward

Jazz | Forward | Last year: 57

#30 — Dwyane Wade

Heat | Guard | Last year: 20

#29 — DeAndre Jordan

Clippers | Center | Last year: 38

#28 — Dirk Nowitzki

Mavericks | Forward | Last year: 14

#27 — Mike Conley

Grizzlies | Guard | Last year: 32

#26 — Klay Thompson

Warriors | Guard | Last year: 54

#25 — Serge Ibaka

Thunder | Forward | Last year: 19

#24 — Damian Lillard

Trail Blazers | Guard | Last year: 22

#23 — Kyrie Irving

Cavaliers | Guard | Last year: 21

#22 — Chris Bosh

Heat | Forward | Last year: 18

#21 — Al Horford

Hawks | Center | Last year: 25

#20 — Paul George

Pacers | Forward | Last year: —

#19 — Dwight Howard

Rockets | Center | Last year: 9

#18 — Jimmy Butler

Bulls | Guard | Last year: 98

#17 — Kevin Love

Cavaliers | Forward | Last year: 7

#16 — Draymond Green

Warriors | Forward | Last year: —

#15 — Carmelo Anthony

Knicks | Forward | Last year: 11

#14 — DeMarcus Cousins

Kings | Center | Last year: 27

#13 — John Wall

Wizards | Guard | Last year: 31

#12 — LaMarcus Aldridge

Spurs | Forward | Last year: 12

#11 — Tim Duncan

Spurs | Forward | Last year: 5

#10 — Kawhi Leonard

Spurs | Forward | Last year: 28

#9 — Marc Gasol

Grizzlies | Center | Last year: 16

#8 — Blake Griffin

Clippers | Forward | Last year: 10

#7 — Russell Westbrook

Thunder | Guard | Last year: 4

#6 — Chris Paul

Clippers | Guard | Last year: 3

#5 — James Harden

Rockets | Guard | Last year: 13

#4 — Stephen-Curry

Warriors | Guard | Last year: 8

#3 — Anthony Davis

Pelicans | Forward | Last year: 4

#2 — Kevin Durant

Thunder | Forward | Last year: 2

#1 — LeBron James

Cavaliers | Forward | Last year: 1