Paul George lost the players that helped him get to the Eastern Conference; David West, Roy Hibbert, George Hill, and Lance Stephenson are all gone. Last season however, the Indiana Pacers finished with a 45-37 record for the No. 7 seed in the eastern conference, making it to the playoffs. Though they lost in Game 7 against the Toronto Raptors, George realized he was ready to accept the responsibility of the all encompassing leader of the team. Of course he’ll still need help but he’s happy with the Pacers moves this offseason.
“I think I’m still young,” George said before his practice with the U.S. men’s Olympic team via the Indy Star. “I can carry a team, I feel.”
Every time team president Larry Bird made a move this summer to improve the roster – acquiring veterans in Jeff Teague, Thaddeus Young and Al Jefferson – George was encouraged by the possibility of propelling the Pacers back into the category of elite teams in the NBA.
“I’m glad he’s not letting me waste years,” he said of Bird. “I think Larry and (the rest of the front office) have expressed how bad they want to get back to (the Eastern Conference finals) by these moves this offseason. I’m looking forward to getting us back there. He’s putting talent around me to help me get to what we all want to get accomplish, and that’s a championship.”
