As much as I like Bird...

[8305]

Have to agree with Wiz. You extend West. If we intend to have a team built in the image of the 2004 to 2008 Pistons you can't have a guy like Tyler in the starting lineup. He simply isn't nor will he ever be that good. With Pendergraph and the possibility of resigning Amundson, I'd be fine with moving Tyler for GSW pick 30 or Bobcats pick 31. There are some interesting guys who will likely still be available.

By signing West they bought Hansbrough time to develop.

Yeah ok he needs to develop a left hand. So what? Bird made that comment about Granger what was it last yearr? 2 years ago?

I expect things to unravel slowly when they trade Collison on draft night or not long after.

I can't say for sure what the objective was when West was signed but after watching what you get with West as opposed to Tyler for a year I'd say you ride David as long as possible. Developing a left hand won't make Tyler a better rebounder or defender or make him a quicker jumper. It won't give him a feel for the game that allows him to participate in an offense that calls for ball movement and making the extra pass. The guys 26 years old. He might marginally improve some of his weaknesses but at this point he is what he is.

I'll say it again, he will never be a starting caliber power forward.

[Indy2thaWindy]

How much were people expecting Hansbrough to develop? He was nearly a finished product coming out of college. I think he was 24 as a rookie. He was never going to be a full-time starter and sometimes doesn't even look like a rotational player. Most hated the pick at the time if I remember. Then Hansbrough had like a good 20 game stretch in his 2nd season that surprised a lot of people and made them back off the selection a bit. But outside of that he really hasn't been that good. I still look at it as a bad pick.

[DWCP2]

Let's put it in another example, Ezarem Lorbek!

The man kept signing extension after extension w/ overseas ballclubs and was never given a chance with the Pacers despite developing solid defense and shooting!

His right were traded in the George Hill trade and he's expected to be in a Spurs uniform next season.

As great a mind Larry Bird is, I think he tends to get tunnel vision with players and circumstances that are either behind the times or not effective to what he has in front of him.

Case in point Rick Carlisle and Jim O'Brien, relying on his Celtic roots and going as far as to say he will make the players fit the coaching not vice versa. As a result, each got respectively canned when things started going south!

I will take Hansbroughs heart and passion for the game over anyone you can throw at him. Get him into a system and role that he can show that and I doubt few can stop him.

[8305]

I fail to see where the Lorbek example fits your arguement. My recall is he was under contract in Europe until this year. No Euro player would have come over this season. Immediately after the 2005 draft he wasn't ready and we didn't have a place for him anyway. I don't know how many extensions he signed but, we really had no opportunity for him for a number of years.

I think you can argue that Bird wanted George Hill a little too much and overpaid for him. That said I really like George HIll and I don't think a fair assessment can be made of that trade yet.