Indiana Pacers: Paul George, MVP Candidate?
By Wally Hughes
In today’s social media age, news travels fast — even when it happens halfway around the world.
While serving as an ambassador for Nike in China, Indiana Pacers forward Paul George told a group of fans that his goal for this season was to win the league’s Most Valuable Player Award.
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From the Indianapolis Star:
"“After being draft into the NBA, I was playing from the bench and then tried to be a starter, then an All-Star. My goal now is set to be MVP. This year, that hasn’t changed,” George told fans at a Beijing Nike store. (Thanks, Google translation.)"
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This year, that hasn’t changed.
Even through translation, George’s point is very clear: he intends to return from injury in superstar form.
It wasn’t long ago that George was considered a dark-horse MVP candidate. During the 2013-14 season, the George-led Pacers jumped out to a 15-1 start.
George was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Month for October and November after averaging 23.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.13 steals per game, while establishing himself as one of best two-way players in the game.
But then the team’s chemistry and momentum collapsed during the second-half of the season, and George and the Pacers ultimately fell to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals.
That summer, George suffered a horrific leg injury during a Team USA scrimmage that caused him to miss virtually all of the 2014-15 season.
Now, a year removed from leg surgery, George has set a goal of playing at an MVP level — a lofty goal for any player, let alone one returning from serious injury.
But has George set the bar too high?
Let’s take a look at another player — a former MVP on a rival team — who returned from not one, but two major leg injuries.
The season after winning the MVP during the 2010-11 season, Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose tore his ACL during the first round of the playoffs. Unlike George, who returned ahead of schedule, Rose played it safe and didn’t play in any games during the 2012-13 season, even though he was cleared to return by doctors.
He returned for 10 games the following season, but injured his right knee, causing him to miss the rest of the 2013-14 season.
After missing the majority of two seasons, Rose returned to play in 51 contests last season, averaging 17.7 ppg and 4.9 apg. At times, Rose flashed the brilliance that caused him to be named the league’s youngest MVP, while at other times he showed the rust of not playing for a couple of years.
Although their leg injuries were different, George and Rose’s situations are very similar. Both are the faces of their respective franchises, and are vital for the success of their teams.
Not only is George the primary scoring option for the Pacers, but he is also their best defender. Unlike Rose, George doesn’t have the luxury of a Jimmy Butler to help carry the load.
Having to exert so much energy on both ends of the floor will undoubtedly put George at a higher risk of another injury, which is why the Indiana Pacers are thinking of ways to protect their star player.
Team president Larry Bird has made it clear this offseason that George will transition to power forward in order to keep him from chasing opponents around the perimeter. Bird believes the move will save George’s legs, and give him an advantage on offense.
Click here to read about why George should listen to Bird and embrace moving to power forward.
The Pacers also added veteran guard Monta Ellis this offseason, who will take a lot of the offensive load off of George.
Throughout his career, Ellis has shown that he is an above-average scorer who excels with the ball in his hands. Ellis — a ball-dominant, offensive-minded guard — will play a role similar to what Lance Stephenson played a couple of seasons ago, which will free George up offensively and allow him to exert more energy on the defensive end.
However, even with the moves that the Pacers are making, it is simply unfair to expect George to come back from injury in elite form. Realistically, fans should expect George to take the Rose path and be at 85-90 percent of what he was before his injury, with a goal of being at 100 percent the following season.
George wants to play at an MVP level because he knows that’s what it will take for the Pacers to be contenders in the Eastern Conference. However, putting too much pressure on himself could cause a negative effect on his return.
Will George ever regain his elite form? Of course. He is still young and has plenty of time to make the comeback that he wants to achieve. But he must be patient.
And that’s the hard part.
Next: Paul George Should Listen to Larry Bird, Embrace New Role
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