Paul George is out of boot, Pacers out of prediction business

Paul George made an appearance at Pacers media day Monday, but not for the press.

Indiana's injured star moved – without a boot on his injured right leg – between team pictures, posing with Roy Hibbert and David West and George Hill. It was up to the men standing beside him, however, to lend perspective to a team tattooed with question marks in George's absence.

"We can't be talking about competing for a championship, being in title contention, anything like that," veteran forward David West said during his media session Monday.

An NBA title contender a year ago – and one that had little qualm with labeling itself as one – Indiana is actively defensive about setting a baseline in 2014-15.

"I want to avoid giving hard-line goals with this year's team, because of the uncertainty at the wing position," Indiana coach Frank Vogel said. "It's gonna be a team approach. No one guy can replicate what Paul George is able to do … particularly on the defensive end."

With George likely out for the season because of a broken leg and Lance Stephenson now pulling paychecks from Charlotte, the Pacers have questions about themselves they can't yet answer.

Vogel wasn't shy in demanding the most from his veterans, mentioning Hibbert, West and George Hill specifically. Hill is hoping adversity might help the Pacers rediscover something he felt was lost in last year's run to the Eastern Conference finals.

"The first year I got here, we were underdogs, and we played with that chip on our shoulder," Hill said. "I feel like we lost that sense of urgency when people started talking about us and we had success. I feel like our success killed us last year."

What success will look like this season for Indiana is undetermined.

According virtually everyone who spoke to the media Monday, it will remain that way until the Pacers figure out what's comfortable for a roster being refashioned without arguably its two best players from a year ago.

George, sans that boot, roamed from one picture to another Monday afternoon, palming a ball here, leaning against a teammate there.

It might be the most time he spends on the Bankers Life Fieldhouse floor in an Indiana uniform this season, a reality those teammates – and Vogel – continue to confront.

Follow Star reporter Zach Osterman on Twitter: @ZachOsterman.