Will Paul George’s leadership be a problem for the Lakers?
By Asha Doucet
Throughout the regular season, Indiana Pacers small forward paul George has been linked to the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency and trade talks. L.A. seems to have made up their mind about courting George, but his leadership abilities are a point of concern and could potentially be a bad mix for a young team.
L.A.’s interest in George is obvious. The team desperately needs a foundational star to add to their crop of sprouting talent. Magic Johnson, the president of basketball operations, made a not so subtle plea for George to wear the purple and gold in a recent interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
"“No, we gonna say ‘hi’ because we know each other,” Johnson said. “You just can’t say, ‘Hey, I want you to come to the Lakers,’ even though I’ll be wink winking like, ‘you know what that means right?'” -Magic Johnson"
There were rumors of the Lakers in trade discussions with the Pacers during the trade deadline, but L.A. was unwilling to part with Brandon Ingram, who Indian wanted in order to let go of George. Ultimately, a deal between the two organizations was never made and Larry Bird, president of the Pacers, went on to say there never were any trade talks including George. But despite Bird’s public statement, the rumors continued to swirl connecting PG13 to his hometown team.
Mitch Lawrence of Sporting News reported that George made it clear to others he wants to play for the Lakers, “He’s never made his long-term intentions a secret within the Pacers’ locker room, according to former teammates. He wants to wear the purple and gold.”
More from Lake Show Life
- Darvin Ham adds to Max Christie hype train after Lakers preseason opener
- Is LeBron James playing tonight? Latest Lakers vs Warriors update
- Can Darvin Ham put all of the Lakers puzzle pieces together?
- Lakers news: Darvin Ham knows his fifth starter, LeBron James and Rui Hachimura, Jalen Hood-Schifino praise
- Michael Malone’s painfully ironic comment has Lakers fans heated
If this is true then it seems Magic and George share the same hope of the small forward playing for L.A. That mutual desire is a positive sign and the first step to making it happen. However, Lawrence brings up a few points that question George’s leadership and treatment of his teammates.
By now everyone has heard George’s postgame sound bite when he criticized C.J. Miles for taking the last shot in a game where the Pacers had a chance to steal one from the Cavaliers. If not, here is what was said:
"“C.J. took it upon himself,” George said following the game. “I’m confident in all my guys taking shots, that’s not the issue. But in that situation like that, I’ve gotta get that.”"
It’s true George’s comments may have been ill-advised and could be interpreted as him being a bad leader who doesn’t trust his teammates, but he was right. Of course in game 4 of the series against the Cavs George did get the final shot and he missed, badly. However, the point remains, George is the most talented and highest paid player on the Pacers and in end-of-game situations like that he should have the last shot, miss or make.
George was also vocally critical of Lance Stephenson after game 2 ultimately saying that he needed to have more self-control, but who would argue with that? If it’s these types of instances that paint George as a poor leader, it can be argued that they are actually traits that make him a good competitor.
Kobe Bryant was often criticized for being hard to play with and “selfish”, and Russell Westbrook is a current player that comes to mind with similar criticism. The reality is Kobe and guys like Russ are just such fierce competitors that they believe every one of their shots is going in, and if someone else wants to take an important shot they have to prove they are worthy. I know, I know, enough with the Kobe comparisons. But this is not so much a comparison of the players, as it is a comparison of competitor’s trait.
No one on the Pacers has proven to be worthy of taking the last shot over PG, and when it comes to Stephenson, he’s known more for his on-the-court antics than for his production on the court.
If the Lakers managed a trade to acquire George this offseason versus in 2018 when he is a free agent, there’s no hard proof he would be a bad fit because he’s an inept leader. It’s true that on a team full of young talent like the Lakers having great leadership qualities is a plus. But in the end, that’s what Luke Walton and his staff are for.
To guide all the men on the team, all-star or budding star. At the end of the day, L.A. needs a cornerstone piece and George is still in his prime and has been to two eastern conference finals. He averaged 23.7 points per game, 6.6 rebounds per game and 3.3 assists per game during the regular season. George may not be the best leader out there, but in the Lakers case, his production is worth the gamble.
Related Story: Five free agents the Lakers can target
Do you think Paul George is a bad leader or a fierce competitor? Should the Lakers trade away some young pieces to get him for the 2017 season? Let us know in the comments below!