Paul George

[...] Per the above, the core of the team is the quartet of Westbrook, George, Adams and Roberson. That foursome is a fearsome defensive group - Westbrook can do it, even if he so often chooses not to, while the other three are among the league's best at their positions. Roberson in particular provides invaluable help all over that half of the court, as seen in the team's second-half struggles last season without him before Corey Brewer provided a patch-up job to close things out.

That quartet, however, is also terribly spaced. George is a plus outside shooter as long as he is not in a three-point competition, but the rest are not at all. Adams leaves the paint on offence only to screen, Westbrook has never been a good outside shooter (perhaps because he jumps so high and does not hold onto his follow-through), and Roberson is infamously a non-shooter. [...]

Paul George
SF/PF, 6’9, 220lbs, 27 years old, 7 years of experience

George once again had to do far too much on the court, especially offensively. The slow team around him that struggled for outside shooting, depth and offensive efficiency needed someone to try and score on half the trips down the court. George had to take as many shots as he did. This does not mean, however, that he had to take as many jump shots as he did. Especially from mid-range, where he shot nearly as many step-in pull-ups as he did three-pointers. Wants out, because he wants to win something as his prime approaches. This makes sense. But his way of going about it was unpleasant.

Player Plan: Two years and a smidge over $40 million remaining. Should be a building block, but apparently doesn’t want that, so trade chip he is. Using the Butler and Paul trades as baselines, George should yield a good prospect and a pick, because despite his apparent commitment to leaving in free agency at the first opportunity regardless, there will still be bidders, both for that one interim year and in the belief they can change his mind on that.

Rookie scale contract extensions are not especially commonplace, largely because they needn't be. Via the medium of restricted free agency, teams hold most of the cards when it comes to the future of their young players, and they'd normally rather take the fourth season to evaluate their player's future before committing to paying for it.

Typically, we only find deviation from this path when a player is worthy of a max contract. In that scenario, there's not much to negotiate or wait for, so the extension gets done. It's expected that this is the deal that Paul George and the Indiana Pacers will announce today.

George was a breakout player last season, and a very likable one. Charged with leading the team on offense from the wing in the absence of Danny Granger, George showed himself to be better at it than Granger had ever been, while also being one of the best wing defenders in the league. His offensive game, versatility, shot-making and ball-handling talents have developed year on year, and when entrusted with far greater responsibility on that end, George responded and put forth a strong season, averaging 17.1 points per game along with some clutch moments.

There is still work to do with George's game. His is not simply a case of consolidating what he has already done. Offensively, George was exposed -particularly in the playoffs - as not being ready to fully be a go-to guy in single play situations. His scoring efficiency decreased with his increased output, and he needs to continue to improve his shot-making facility and moves in isolation. Even defensively, George can still get hung up on a ball screen with relative ease.

However, at only 23 years old, George is more than capable of making these improvements, and Indiana has paid the cost to ensure the services of a caliber of player they haven't had for years. Even if the offensive game plateaus short of being an elite go-to guy, they've still paid for a defensive star. This extension, then, is easy to reconcile.

Paul George

The Pacers have done nothing to advance their team since the awesome 61 win team of 2003-04. In that time, their win totals have tapered off slowly; 44, 41, 35, 36, 36, 32. They make moves more befitting of a championship contender (Dahntay Jones for 4 years? Earl Watson for one? Drafting Tyler Hansbrough? Trading for Mike Dunleavy and Troy Murphy?) when they haven't the core around which to build. Apart from catching lightning in a bottle with the drafting of Danny Granger, the Pacers have done nothing to build a young foundation, nor have they done anything to build an old foundation.

George represented the Pacers highest draft pick since 1996, when they picked Erick Dampier 10th overall. Indiana normally drafts low because they're good - in the last few years, however, they've been drafting in the late lottery. They are not good enough to make the playoffs, yet their needless short term moves also ensure they are not bad enough to draft higher than that. Not since George McCloud in 1989 have the Pacers drafted in the top 10; not until next summer will they have any cap space. Without those things, the Pacers have been unable to land a star or any significant young talent, and while the #10 pick in a strong draft represented a chance to do, all Indiana have done is use it on a player who plays the same position as their best current player.

This is a re-think on my draft night stance, admittedly. Nevertheless, we're going to have to sign away one more season of moribund stalemate for the Pacers. When 2011 free agency comes around, maybe they can finally build something significant.

Pick 10: Problematically, due to too much white hot Morgan State action, I never managed to get a Fresno State game, and thus know scant little about Indiana's draft pick at #10, Paul George. (In my defense, I thought Morgan State was the name of a hot girl or something.) But what I do know about him is that:

a) Jay Bilas sees fit to crack off tonight's first use of the phrase "upside potential" to describe him (good),

b) he plays the same position as Danny Granger (bad).

The rest, we must figure out later. Hopefully John and Ringo will get drafted later, too.

In his interview, Mark Jones asks Paul George one hell of a loaded question; "One scout reportedly said that in five years, you'll be the best player in this draft class. Why do you think he said that?" Careful, Mark Jones. You're good at what you do, but that chair you're sitting in has turnover numbers like Derrick Favors. Don't take liberties.