Paul George was never exactly thrilled about the prospect of playing power forward. While small-ball is all the rage, and George is a perfect nominal power forward, it’s understandable that the Pacers’ star would want to stick to the position that made him a star in the first place. George didn’t change his tune after the Pacers’ first preseason game. If anything, he sang it much louder.
But on Monday, George clarified his comments, saying he was just giving his opinion, unapologetically.
Paul George: "I’m going to give my opinion. This is what the media is for. I’m going to give my opinion…
— Candace Buckner (@CandaceDBuckner) October 5, 2015
Paul George: “…I’m not going against my teammates, I’m not going against this organization. I’ve always been a part of this team Day 1…
— Candace Buckner (@CandaceDBuckner) October 5, 2015
“…The reason why I chose to stick around and stay in this organization – I’m just giving my opinion.” – Paul George
— Candace Buckner (@CandaceDBuckner) October 5, 2015
Whenever a star voices his displeasure with a move or decision, there’s a tendency to go overboard with the reaction. For example, George’s hesitance to go small means he’s not on board with his team. That’s not the case though. He’s just saying what he thinks, and has absolutely every right to do so. He’s not taking shots at Larry Bird or Frank Vogel through the media – in fact, he told Candace Buckner of the Indianapolis Star that he recently met with the two and received clarification about his role.
Then, George said he would seek input from coach Frank Vogel and team president of basketball operations Larry Bird into how he performed at the position. By Monday afternoon, George had spoken to them and found more interpretation.
“Yeah, we talked about it,” George said after Monday’s practice. “Just going over what was the plan going forward.
“I mean, there was clarification on what we’re (doing) going forward,” George added later. “That’s what it was, just clarification.”
This was always going to be a process, one that demanded communication between both sides. The Pacers and George will continue to evaluate how this new strategy is working. If they think it’s a failure, they’ll scrap it. If they think it’s working, then hopefully George will be happy with the team’s success.
What clarification he received is unclear. What is clear, though, is that George is dedicated to the Pacers, even if he’s unsure about his new position.
