Pacers officially announce Paul George to start at Power Forward. PG is "not thrilled"

[Alexander The Great]

#Pacers Paul George on why he's "not too thrilled" about playing power forward
"I’m not too thrilled about it, but I told them I’m open to the situation. I’m open to the change, so we’ll see how it goes. We’ll see how it goes during training camp."

"Because that’s what I am (a small forward), I pride myself on being a ballplayer first and foremost. But there’s a difference playing the four, and I know that’s the way the league is going, having stretch fours and perimeter-oriented big men, but those guys have been doing that for years and have size on me and strength on me. So it’s gonna be an adjustment. And I’m just used to being at the three, and that’s what made me special is just being able to guard perimeter guys."

But not long after Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogelmade it official that his fully-recovered All-Star will play the power forward spot this season in an attempt to play “small-ball,” the 25-year-old who missed all but six games last season after breaking his leg at Team USA minicamp last August made it clear yet again in an interview with USA TODAY Sports that he’s hardly excited about the development.

“Um, you know it’s, uh, I was open for – to try it out,” George said via phone while promoting his place on the cover of the NBA 2K16 mobile app. “It’s definitely a change. It’s something new. We’ll see how it goes. As the season goes, it might be better for me to just be at my regular position. But I told them I was open to the situation and (we’ll) see where it goes.”


It’s quite predictable, not to mention fair, that George has concerns about the decision. Defending power forwards is inherently more taxing than guarding small forwards, especially when you’re playing the position as a 6-foot-9, 220-pounder who will be undersized on many nights.

From the Pacers’ perspective, team president Larry Bird made it clear earlier this summer that he believes George’s offense will be aided by this move and that the defensive side of the ball won’t be nearly as daunting as some believe. His goal, as he told reporters in Indiana recently, is to score an additional six or eight points per game.


“Yeah, I believe (that’s his main concern),” George said. “It’s just being outmatched strength-wise with guys at the four spot is really the only concern. It’s not really the concern for one game. It’s the concern just over the course of a season just how my body would take it, especially coming off the injury that I had and a whole year of rehabbing. Just not sure of how it’s going to take it. (We’ll) start camp, see how camp goes. Again, I’m not too thrilled on it, but it could change the more comfortable I get at the position. But we’ll see. But again, I could very much end up loving it, so it’s all up in the air. I’m open to the position.”

he'll be back to the 3 by January.

 

[Brozay]

theyre taking their best perimeter defender and having him guard bigs

 

[FS4LFE]

No better way to come back from a major leg surgery than banging with bigs in the paint every night

 

[Mantis Toboggan M.D.]

Larry is outsmarting himself on this one.

 

[Hoganese]

They should only do this against Golden State and teams like that. PG gonna wear himself down getting posted up on for four months.

 

[Deaf2twothirds]

Paul George is about to be the Sam Bradford of the NBA

 

[Floyd Pinkerton]

 

[Codeine Bryant]

They can't be this stupid.

I assume there will be a lot of smallball lineups where he's at the 4 but still playing relatively the same game as his usual 3 self.

 

[FTBS]

So what exactly is the purpose of this? Is this just about Larry Bird establishing his dominance or this supposed to help them in some way? I am really not seeing how it helps them. Maybe someone more knowledgeable than I can school me?

 

[jaguar paw]

So what exactly is the purpose of this? Is this just about Larry Bird establishing his dominance or this supposed to help them in some way? I am really not seeing how it helps them. Maybe someone more knowledgeable than I can school me?

It's the "I'm smarter than everyone else approach"......

I'm aight with them playing him at four in stretches but him getting the bulk of his minutes there is risky as fukk.

 

[Swiggy]

 

[threattonature]

I could see playing him at the 4 on offense but guarding the perimeter on defense. That's the only way this makes sense.

 

[Alexander The Great]

It's the "I'm smarter than everyone else approach"......

I'm aight with them playing him at four in stretches but him getting the bulk of his minutes there is risky as fukk.

so what are they gonna do when they play yall? have George guard Love and have CJ miles guard LeBron? what about when they play the bulls? I guess they'll put him on Noah, and get killed on the boards

 

[jaguar paw]

so what are they gonna do when they play yall? have George guard Love and have CJ miles guard LeBron? what about when they play the bulls? I guess they'll put him on Noah, and get killed on the boards

I have the same questions breh. I'd assume they are still going to put George on Bron. Solomon Hill on Love.



Either way they don't have a proven big on the roster that can rebound at a high rate....or defend the rim.

 

[Sly Cookin]

Come to the Hawks nikka