NBA Player Rankings: Top-10 Small Forwards In The NBA

4. Paul George, Indiana Pacers

Numbers to know:
4.9 – VORP, ranked 3rd among qualified SFs in 2013-14 behind Kevin Durant and Lebron James
6.3 – Defensive Win Shares, ranked 1st in the NBA in 2012-13
6.4 – Defensive Win Shares, ranked 2nd in the NBA in 2013-14

There may be some who wouldn’t even rank George in the top-10 after seeing the gruesome injury he suffered last summer. As someone who pre-emptively picked George off waivers in fantasy last season (on three different occasions!), I firmly believe he can return to the devastating force we saw in 2013-14.

His traditional stats are a marvel to look at, with top-15 figures in 3-pt FGM, FT%, Steals, and Points.

He’s a force on the offensive and defensive end — a beast that Larry Bird wants to exploit. It’s too early to tell how George will handle duties at the 4, but you can’t help be a little hesitant, especially considering the unique circumstance he’s trying to overcome.

The Pacers are trying to recover from the loss of Roy Hibbert and David West, while trying acclimate Monta Ellis, Jordan Hill, and lottery pick, Myles Turner (the most efficient scorer among this year’s crop of lottery picks during Summer League).

If George can overcome a possible career-ending leg injury, then I think it’s a safe bet that he’ll be able to navigate the Pacers through the Eastern Conference.

Next: Kawhi Leonard