Small-ball is here to stay in the NBA, and multiple teams throughout the league are adjusting accordingly.
Count the Indiana Pacers among those going small on a more permanent basis, doing so by shifting Paul George from small forward to power forward. It could be a great move, it could also be an overreaction to the Golden State Warriors’ title run last season – we won’t know until a few months into the season. One thing we do know, however, is that George isn’t exactly ecstatic with the position change, as he told Candace Buckner of the Indianapolis Star.
“I told them I’m open for a change. 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. But to start it out, I’m open for the change.”
Credit to George, who, even though he’s not happy about the change, is at least open to it. Some players, especially stars, can be outright adamant that they won’t change their position, no matter what the coach says. George is willing to give it a shot.
It makes a certain amount of sense to try George at the four in specific situations, but using him as the starter there is a completely new move for a team that once stood staunchly against the small movement, starting David West and Roy Hibbert in the frontcourt. George has the quickness to take advantage of slower, more traditional bigs, and has the range to take that same player (if he is indeed defending George) beyond his comfort zone to the perimeter.
The worry is on defense, and whether George can defend power forwards full time. He can guard that position, but he’s at his best – and his best is absolutely elite – when he’s hounding perimeter players. Taking him away from his greatest strength therefore diminishes the Pacers’ defense as a whole. Frank Vogel knows this, of course. He’s a stellar defensive coach and will still take advantage of George’s myriad strengths as a defender.
After several years of staying big, the Pacers are following the rest of the league by going small and shifting their best player, who happens to be one of the best at his regular position, to a new one. George is an immensely talented player, and the shift could work in the Pacers’ favor. If it doesn’t, though, that’s fine. Nothing is permanent in the NBA, especially positions. Vogel could easily move George back to the three, and work from there.
The bottom line is the Pacers will go with whatever they feel works best, and what they feel works best now may not be what works best later on down the line.
