Indiana Pacers president Larry Bird insists that they could compel swingman Paul George to shift to power forward, according to an ESPN report.

Bird is trying to convince George that the shift is a good move, but emphasized that he has no right to resist changes.

Critics contend that the two-time All-Star could get overwhelmed by bigger, stronger opponents inside.

Like Us on Facebook

However, Bird believes the two-time all-NBA defensive player will have more offensive opportunities and be healthier by not chasing players around the court.

He added that against bigger players, the 6-foot-9, 220-pound George  will hold up just fine and will even be more productive.

Bird added that and coming off a broken right leg, the positional change would be a good thing because he can still guard some threes but not all the time.

George said that while he's willing to play any position, he couldn't visualize himself playing 30 minutes per game at power forward.

Pacers coach Frank Vogel said he had not ascertained how much time George would spend at power forward. 

Meanwhile, Bird revealed that he persuaded shooting guard Monta Ellis to join the Pacers by saying that he was the missing piece in their championship puzzle.

Ellis said after signing the four-year $44 million deal that he agreed because Bird said all the right things and the team made him feel great because they wanted him. He added that he also liked the team because of their winning attitude. 

The Pacers expect the 6-foot-3 Ellis, who scored 19.3 points and dished out 4.8 assists per game in 10 years in the NBA, to help them change the offense. 

Vogel said that Ellis will perfectly fit with the playing style they're going to implement, the nba.com reported.

The nba.com also noted that Pacers got Jordan Hill, a 6-foot-10, 235-pound post player, after he was let go by the Los Angeles Lakers.

Hill had 12.0 points and 7.9 rebounds per game for the Lakers last season.

The Pacers also acquired forward Chase Budinger in trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves and signed first round pick Myles Turner and second-round pick Joe Young.

Bird also noted that the Pacers made so many changes in the offseason because David West decided to opted out of his contract.

TagsIndiana Pacers president Larry Bird, Paul George, Pacers coach Frank Vogel, Monta Ellis, Jordan Hill, Los Angeles Lakers