Now that the 2016-17 NBA season is over, it’s time to evaluate Paul George’s contributions to the Indiana Pacers.
The expectations and standards set for Paul George of the Indiana Pacers have changed dramatically in a few short years. George began as a rookie trying to find his way on a team full of veterans, but became an NBA All-Star by his third season in the league.
Paul George is now considered one of the rising stars in the game, so the bar has been set very high for him when assessing his productivity.
In terms of raw statistics, Paul George had a stellar season in 2016-17. He set career-highs in field goal percentage (46.1), effective field goal percentage (53.3), free throw percentage (89.8) and points per game (23.7).
George also shot 39.3 percent from beyond the three-point line on 496 attempts, which would also have been a career-best if not for shooting 40.9 percent during the six games he played at the end of the 2014-15 season after returning from a severe offseason leg injury.
Another area where Paul George excelled last season was in his on court/off court production. According to 82games.com, George posted a net rating +9.9 in 2016-17, meaning the Pacers were a much better team when he was on the floor.
However, Paul George became such an offensive focal point for Indiana that his defense suffered this past year.
George is generally considered an elite defender, but his production slipped on that end of the court in 2016-17. The NBA Defensive Real Plus-Minus metric (courtesy of ESPN) indicates that Paul George was ranked 48th among 81 small forwards in the NBA last season.
Paul George’s season mirrored that of his entire team — the offense was improved, but the defense suffered to an even greater degree.
Now that George is closing in on superstar status, he must continue to improve his leadership skills and further develop his ability to make his teammates better.
George has shown a tendency to complain to the media about internal team matters, and he makes statements at times that can be interpreted as “selfish” — this is something that needs to change if he is to take that next step as a player.
Paul George isn't a superstar, and he prob hasn't been a top 15-20 player in any season yet in his career. And he's not getting younger.
— Tyler Drohan (@drohantyler) June 2, 2017
Paul George is a good passer, but the trust he has in his teammates can come and go. In order to become a true superstar, he will have to evolve into a player who can consistently make plays for others.
What we have in Paul George is a player who has come a long way, and greatly exceeded what was expected of him based on his draft position (10th overall in 2010).
However, now that George is the face of the Pacers’ franchise and positioned for a max contract next summer, he will have to push himself even further to attain the elite level of someone like LeBron James, a player George clearly measures himself against.
Overall, Paul George had an outstanding 2016-17 campaign. But, he is at a crossroads in terms of his status as a top-flight NBA performer.
Is Paul George an NBA superstar, or is he just a very good player who will always be a notch below the NBA’s elite?
Next: 2017 NBA Mock Draft: Post-Lottery edition
George’s performance last season put him squarely on the fence; perhaps his play in 2017-18 will answer that question once and for all.