5 things we learned from the Cavaliers’ sweep of the Pacers

4. Paul George should head West

The writing was on the wall ever since the Game 1 post-game press conference, when Paul George called out C.J. Miles for taking the last shot, saying that he deserved to take it. It didn’t get any better after Game 2, where George called out Lance Stephenson for his demeanor and Myles Turner for his physicality.

He’s only 26, but as the face of the franchise it didn’t seem right to call out teammates amidst a playoff run. All of these little signs started to point toward George’s frustration in Indiana. Paul George isn’t a free agent till the summer of 2018. But that doesn’t mean the Indiana Pacers should just let their biggest asset walk out of the door for nothing in return.

George, a Los Angeles-native, reportedly wants to play for the Los Angeles Lakers and after this series, it only seems more evident. After being swept by LeBron James and the Cavaliers, Paul George has now been sent home from the playoffs by LeBron and Co. four different times in five seasons. 

Although George and LeBron have a good relationship, the Pacers superstar probably realizes that his path to a championship goes through Cleveland. So far in his young career, George hasn’t been able to beat LeBron’s squad. Combine that with the lack of help he’s getting in Indiana, it seems inevitable that George is going to head west for a contender.

Veterans like C.J. Miles, Thaddeus Young and Lance Stephenson haven’t been able to push the Pacers over to the top. George likely realizes that this group may have capped out and the likelihood of landing another superstar to play with him in small-market Indiana is low.

This series was another nail in the coffin for George’s career in Indiana.