Oklahoma City Thunder: 3 reasons keeping Paul George was so crucial

2. OKC has the star power

It’s no secret that the key to a championship team starts at the top. If teams want even the slightest of chances of contending for the ultimate prize, they need to have stars in order to take them there.

Paul George may not be a top-10 player, but he’s certainly in the top-15 as one of the best two-way players in the game. He averaged 21.9 points this past year, and that was as the second option for the first time since his rise to stardom. The dip in scoring was also a result of early chemistry issues with his new teammates.

When he’s on, George can put up points in a hurry from anywhere on the court, scorching the net from distance or attacking the basket with his athleticism.

As one of the best defenders in the game — made clear by three separate appearances on an All-Defensive Team — OKC can feel confident against matchups with any team, knowing George can stifle even the best of perimeter threats.

With two of the top players in the league along with Russell Westbrook, the Thunder now have a duo that rivals that of any other, and with lessons and experience taken from last season’s failures, we should expect them to play much better moving forward.