Pacers president Larry Bird has endured an up-and-down offseason, to say the least. The team was able to nab Monta Ellis from the Mavericks on a modest four-year, $44 million deal and got former Laker Jordan Hill to sign for pennies at one-year, $5 million. Bird also had good luck in last month’s NBA Draft, landing stretch five rim protector Myles Turner in the lottery and lucking into microwave guard Joseph Young, who fell to them at No. 43. But Indiana’s incumbent frontcourt duo of David West and Roy Hibbert is no more, with the former fleeing to the Spurs and the latter being traded to the Lakers.
The roster upheaval has left Bird and the Pacers in a state of instability, particularly with regard to what their positional rotations are going to look like next season. One idea that Bird has floated around is the possibility of All-Star swingman Paul George logging minutes at the power forward position. It’s a notion that George has been lukewarm on, at best, and Bird commented on George’s reluctance on Tuesday.
“He don’t make decisions around here,” Bird told reporters. “I [played power forward]. I loved it after I did it. I just think offensively it’s going to be one of the greatest feelings he’s ever had. I’m not going to get in a battle with Paul George on where he wants to play. He’s a basketball player. He can play any position you put him out there.”
Larry Legend can definitely speak from experience as his ability to toggle between both forward positions was a cornerstone of the Celtics’ dominance in the 80s. George does possess the height at 6-foot-9 to hold his own at the 4. Plus, slotting George there would unlock a ton of juicy small-ball lineups and allow a Pacers team that finished 19th in the NBA in pace last year to run a more up-tempo style. So from a strategic standpoint, Bird’s comments certainly hold water.
But where this all gets more concerning is Bird’s blunt abrasiveness towards his players. The Hick From French Lick’s up-front leadership style might have worked during his playing career, but he’s quickly learning the pitfalls of such a mindset in the front office dynamic. Bird already alienated West and Lance Stephenson to the point of departure. Even Roy Hibbert was so turned off by Bird that he opted into his contract out of spite even after the Pacers made it clear they didn’t want him back, forcing Bird to trade him. Now Indiana’s franchise superstar might be the one Bird is rubbing the wrong way.
With George set to become a free agent three seasons from now, Bird might want to tread lightly from here on out. Though his strategic thinking is cogent, Bird’s sharp tongue and tactics are slowly beginning to estrange his players one by one.
H/T CBS Sports
