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The Indiana Pacers have once again found glory. Despite being eliminated by the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, there's so much excitement that the future holds. They have a battle-tested veteran in Pascal Siakam and an elite star facilitator in Tyrese Haliburton. Coach Rick Carlisle also has guys like Andre Nembhard, TJ McConnell, and Myles Turner who can all pop off when needed. But, Jeff Teague posits that this squad needs a reunion from Paul George to truly be contenders for years.
It is not uncommon for stars to come back to the teams where they initially found success. LeBron James came back to the Cleveland Cavaliers and helped them stay atop the Eastern Conference for years. Paul George could do the same with the Pacers and his fit would not be that bad at all. Jeff Teague highlights the need for Rick Carlisle's squad to get someone like him after their unexpected conference finals bout with the Celtics, via The Club 520 Podcast.
“The player y'all need is Paul George. Y'all need Paul George or Jimmy Butler. Y'all need PG. Now that he’s comfortable, kind of playing second fiddle and he’s just cool in his role. That’d be a cool vibe,” Jeff Teague said.
Paul George has gotten to be a more reliable star since he left the Pacers. He found himself alongside greats like Russell Westbrook, Kawhi Leonard, and James Harden throughout his stints with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Clippers. This makes him more able to co-exist with the current generation of Pacers stars in Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam.
Paul George's fit with the Pacers
Haliburton has already proven that he can share a large piece of the pie with his teammates anyway. So, they would not have to rely on a lot of isolation calls of broken plays. His league-leading 10.9 assists per game surely proves this.
Moreover, he can also stretch the floor better and give Rick Carlisle's team some much-needed help on defense. After all, they already have the generational offense that led them this far in the NBA Playoffs. This squad just needs to generate stops such that their momentum is not cut. George has been a great two-way star in recent years which could help with their 118 defensive rating which ranks 24th in the league.
Teague hammered the point more by looking at George's schematic and rotational fit with the Pacers.
“Let Tyrese Haliburton still be him, but he’s going to get so many open shots with Tyrese and how fast they play, how open they play. He shoots a bunch of 3’s anyway, it’s a good fit for him actually. But, I’m sure he doesn’t want to leave L.A.,” the former Pacers guard said.
Obviously, these are all just hypothetical and might not even come into life at all. However, George is growing old and clearly still needs the ring to solidify himself as one of the best to have ever touched an NBA floor. The Clippers might give him that opportunity because Westbrook, Harden, and Kawhi Leonard are all still hungry. But, the long-term stability that the Pacers can offer might be something else.
If ever he needs a team when he hits free agency, surely the fans from the basketball-crazed state would love to have him back.
