Paul George is entering the 2016-17 NBA season with a lot of hype surrounding him. After helping Team USA win a gold medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics, George is expected to break out into his full potential this season.
Last season, George led the Pacers back to the playoffs but ended up falling in Game 7 to the Toronto Raptors. Despite that fact, he still showed off superstar talent. George averaged 27.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game against the Raptors while shooting 45.5 percent from the field overall and knocking down 41.9 percent from the three-point arc.
At 26-years-old, there is nothing holding George back from having the best season of his career. In fact, he will be a legitimate NBA MVP candidate this season.
“This is probably the most excited I’ve been for a team, coming into the season.” – Paul George pic.twitter.com/HFa5a0MomB
— Pacers Insiders (@PacersInsiders) September 24, 2016
Why should George be considered a legitimate MVP candidate with players like LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, and Stephen Curry around the league competing for the prestigious award?
First of all, Larry Bird has finally put a talented roster around George. He acquired Jeff Teague from the Atlanta Hawks this offseason in the trade that sent George Hill to the Utah Jazz. Bird also brought in starting power forward Thaddeus Young on board, while signing veteran big man Al Jefferson in free agency.
Larry Bird said he will to sign Paul George to that deal when when Paul is ready. The 2 have discussed a possible deal this summer.
— Nate Taylor (@ByNateTaylor) September 21, 2016
Indiana is expecting second-year big man Myles Turner to take a huge leap forward this season. He averaged 10.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game last season for the Pacers as a rookie. Many believe that he will step up this season and become a legitimate No. 2 option alongside George.
George has more confidence this season than he has had in years past and made that clear with recent comments about wanting to compete with James and the Cavaliers.
“Honestly, I look at us challenging them. I’ve been in the East and I’ve been No. 1 with LeBron being on a team,” George said in an interview shared by Yahoo! Sports . “Really, what I’m looking at is it coming down to me getting us past the conference finals. I’m confident in myself. I’m confident in what I can do.”
There is also more excitement surrounding the Pacers than in years’ past. George is more excited to play with the current Pacers’ team than he has ever felt with past Pacers’ teams.
Paul George on Lebron James.
“I’m ready for you.” pic.twitter.com/hTJ36c4cLP
— Pacers Insiders (@PacersInsiders) September 24, 2016
“They made that commitment to come early and want to be here, and that’s something else,” George said . “This is probably the most excited I’ve been for a team, coming into the season. I think we have a lot of weapons, a lot of options. We’re very underrated for what we have over here. With everything that I’ve grown from this Olympic run, to the closing of last playoffs, I feel like I’m ready and poised for a big year.”
Bird has also made it clear that George has a max contract extension waiting for him from Indiana whenever he should choose to take it.
Needless to say, George is confident in his abilities and ready to break out as one of the NBA’s elite. Beating out James, Curry, and Westbrook won’t be easy, but he should certainly be listed in the same category as they are.
. @Teague0 and @Yg_Trece are working on establishing on-court chemistry before training camp even starts. STORY: https://t.co/WiNa7MmfUs
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) September 15, 2016
Indiana has never won an NBA championship. They had a lot of success during the ABA days, but that doesn’t matter much at this point in time.
If George is able to take a step forward from a statistical standpoint and lead his team to a top-three seed in the Eastern Conference, there is no question that he will receive MVP votes. He may not end up winning the award when everything is said and done, but he deserves the respect of being a legitimate candidate.
Expect to see all the hard work that George has put in pay off for the Pacers’ superstar this season. He is ready to prove himself and get the Pacers back to the Eastern Conference Finals and further.
Don’t be surprised if George does end up competing with James and the Cavaliers this season. Making it to the NBA Finals won’t be easy, but Bird has put together a team that certainly has a shot.
Do you think that Paul George has a legitimate shot at winning the NBA MVP this season? Will the Indiana Pacers be a top-three seed in the Eastern Conference? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below.
[Featured Image by Darron Cummings/AP Images]
