Indiana Pacers swingman Paul George has made plenty of strides in his recovery from a horrific leg injury that sidelined him the vast majority of the 2014-15 season – perhaps all of the strides.

George came back swinging last season to the tune of 23.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.9 steals while making a team-high 2.6 threes per game and shooting 86 percent from the line.

As good as last season was for him, the Pacers star is ready to take a leap into the MVP conversation this season.

“I definitely want to be MVP this year,” George said on Sirius XM NBA Radio on Wednesday. “It would be a challenge, but with coach Nate and the guys that I got here, I'm in position to move into that spot, as long as I remain being me, being a leader, being aggressive, and wanting that. It's not mine for the taking. I gotta go get it. And this is my year to go get it.”

George has the pieces to make it work. The additions of Jeff Teague, Thaddeus Young and Al Jefferson should help the team become a solid contender for the Eastern Conference crown.

Indiana has bolstered the point guard position along with the defensive core of the team in the starting unit and the bench. George should benefit from having better teammates and should see his assist and field goal percentage numbers go up along with the quality of his shots.

If he flourishes under new coach Nate McMillan‘s system, the only thing that can keep Paul George from being in the MVP conversation is his team not responding to win enough games and stay near the top of the Eastern Conference.