And while that is the main storyline dominating the discourse as the regular season approaches, there is the far more interesting conundrum of who will be the next Kia Most Valuable Player of the Year.

During Nike’s statement jersey reveal, four-time All-Star Paul George expressed his intention to take the crown from Westbrook when he told reporters, “I’m going for it. Going for that hardware.”

Following his bold statement, here’s a look at how PG can make his case for MVP.

Oklahoma’s success

It’s going to be hard to eclipse Russell Westbrook’s historic triple-double season or to match James Harden’s offensive production. Therefore, his MVP candidacy will depend on whether Oklahoma City can grab the top seed in the West.

This will be an extremely difficult task considering the competition in the conference, but if the Thunder can establish really good chemistry and string up a lot of wins, it might be possible.

Doing so would be a good look for PG, especially considering that the Thunder only finished sixth with a 47-35 record last year.

He’s done it before with a far less talented team. During the 2013/14 season, the Indiana Pacers finished first in the Eastern Conference and had home-court advantage in the playoffs. Granted, it was in a debatably ‘weaker’ conference but it should be remembered that this was during the Miami Heat era when the trio of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh appeared to be unstoppable.

Contribution to OKC

Occasionally, MVP voters will consider contribution over statistics if the player’s impact vastly improves their team. For example, in 2011, James had a better year in terms of numbers than Derrick Rose. However, Chicago’s success was dependent on the point guard and therefore he won MVP.

Same scenario can apply to this circumstance.

The addition of PG makes OKC a more versatile team on both ends of the court and therefore his impact will be felt immediately.

According to Bballbreakdown, his shooting is evenly distributed between isolation, transition and off screens. The 6-foot-9 forward can shoot in the low post, from mid-range and he can shoot a three from either the top of the key or the right corner. His unpredictable scoring spaces the floor for OKC and will give defenders a tough time.

And as a defender, George has the size, quickness and length to guard multiple positions and excel in covering pick-and-roll situations. As one of the league’s best perimeter defenders, PG will be a headache for the Durants and Hardens of the world. Last season, his contributions on defense helped the Pacers rank tenth in opponent field-goal percentage (45.1), 13th in opponent 3-point field-goal percentage (35.5) and 14th in points allowed per game (105.7).

George’s defensive skills also include his ability to help on the boards and hustle for steals. According to NBA.com, the Fresno State product accounted for 24.9 percent of Indiana’s steals and 23.6 percent of their defensive rebounds. When he was off the court, the team’s defensive rebounding dropped from 24.6 to 10.5.

Storyline

MVP voters love a good storyline. And if PG’s individual performances can help the Thunder lead in the West, this season will be defined as his year of redemption.

After a six-year stint in Indiana that had more lows than highs, Oklahoma offers a fresh start for PG to bloom into the player that he has the potential to be.

By Lethabo Nxumalo