Paul George is an MVP-caliber player when he’s in the right frame of mind. At 6’9″, he boasts excellent length for a wing and his ability to guard the opponent’s best perimeter threat makes him one of the most dangerous two-way players the NBA has to offer.
While George has seen less than a one-point dip in his per game scoring average this season, we’ve seen him voice his frustrations on more than one occasion and something in Indiana just seems awry as they should have a much better record than 29-28 considering they have quite the talented roster. Even during this most recent stretch preceding All-Star Weekend, the Pacers have dropped six straight matchups again showing their inability to play quality basketball for an extended stretch.
With a disappointing season ensuing, Paul George has to think about his future and whether he wants to commit to Indiana longer than he already has. When asked about a potential extension with the Pacers, George couldn’t give a definitive answer to the question. Following from ESPN:
Asked about the estimated $219 million contract extension that Pacers president Larry Bird is poised to offer him in July, George told Marc Stein on ESPN Radio’s Meet The All-Stars: “As I told Larry, I always want to play on a winning team. I always want to be part of a team that has a chance to win it [all]. That’s important.
“Say what you want; I want to compete for something. It’s frustrating just playing the game for stats or for numbers or to showcase yourself. Man, I want a chance to play for a chance to win a championship.
While George doesn’t completely dismiss the idea of inking a new deal with the Pacers, the Fresno State product doesn’t seem too enthusiastic about it either. Reportedly, George and Pacers President of Basketball Operations Larry Bird held preliminary discussions about a potential extension:
In a January interview with The Indianapolis Star, Bird said:
“Yeah, we want to keep him here long term. That’s the plan.”
Bird also told the newspaper: “Before the year started, I told Paul and I said: ‘Look, if you want to sign a long-term deal, we’re willing to do that max. And if you want to wait, I understand.’ But this year, we’re not going to worry about it, we’re not going to talk about it, and he’s going to make the decision that’s best for Paul when it comes down to it.”
With an extension for Paul George not set in stone, the Pacers may be active ahead of the upcoming trade deadline. Whether a deal gets done to add talent around George or ship the star away, Larry Bird and the Pacers front office could be a busy bunch for the next week or so before the deadline on Febraury 23rd.
