Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George. Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Paul George is 'bored' with his role, not the franchise

By Adam Taylor | Last updated Jan 12, 2025 9:14 AM ET

Paul George has been spending some time playing as a center for the Philadelphia 76ers. Nick Nurse is known to toy with his rotations and get creative, and he likely wanted to see how George looks at the five in a small-ball lineup.

While Nurse's experimentation makes sense, Paul is one of the elite three-and-D forwards in the NBA. Putting him at center is removing some of what makes him an elite talent in the NBA. During a postgame news conference following the Sixers' loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday, George admitted that he's growing bored with his minutes as a center.

“It’s different. I’m used to scrapping and running around and chasing and fighting through screens,” George said. “To be honest, I’m bored playing the five. It just doesn’t do enough for me. But, I think, being mindful of my ability to clog the middle and kind of help, cut off passing lanes and driving lanes and kind of battle with the bigs, is what Nick [Nurse] sees in that style. But again, I enjoy chasing the little guys and matching up against wing offensive players.”

As is the nature of NBA media, George's 'bored' comment has been blown out of proportion. Yes, he did say he was bored, but in the context of playing a specific position that doesn't maximize his skillset or bring him enjoyment.

At no point did George claim he was bored or unhappy with the franchise. He's been impressive during his first 25 outings for the Sixers, averaging 16.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists. Players are people, too, so it makes sense that there are aspects of their job that frustrate, annoy or even bore them. For George, that aspect appears to be playing as a small-ball five. There's nothing wrong with that. It's not like he's refusing to do it.

While it's fair for fans to be disappointed that one of their star players is vocally sharing his displeasure with his current role, it's not fair to assume he's unhappy in his new situation or with the coaching staff. The Sixers have been struggling this season. Nurse is trying to find ways to galvanize the roster. Playing George at the five is one of those experiments.

Adam Taylor

Adam Taylor is a sports journalist based out of the UK. Adam has been covering the NBA for nearly a decade with a core focus on the Boston Celtics. He currently holds bylines with Yardbarker, SB Nation and USA Today

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