OT: TJ Ford

EastSideBucksFan · Post #21 » by **EastSideBucksFan** » Mon Jan 4, 2010 2:47 pm

NEW YORK -- Pacers point guard T.J. Ford is on the trading block, which is and isn't news.

It might be news to those of you hanging onto him in fantasy leagues clinging to the hope that he'll soon get his starting job back from Earl Watson, but it isn't news to anyone in an NBA front office.

Indiana has been trying to trade Ford for "years," an NBA source told ESPN.com on Sunday night as Ford sat out the entire 48 minutes and Indiana was steamrolled 132-89 by the New York Knicks. "Not weeks. Not months. Years," the source said.

Ford, the eighth overall pick of the 2003 draft, was demoted from starter to third-stringer (behind Watson and rookie A.J. Price) prior to Indiana's victory on Saturday over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Ford's pecking-order status has dropped to just above the doghouse level that was occupied by Jamaal Tinsley all last season in Indiana.

It is a far, far fall for a player who started 25 of Indiana's first 30 games this season, a fall that appears will remain permanent barring an injury to Watson or Price. The source cited above said Indiana has practically given up hope of trying to trade Ford, who is making $8.5 million and has a player option worth another $8.5 million for next season. He is so certain to exercise that option, we'll go ahead at this early date and name him to the starting five on the 2010-11 dead money team.

Chances are, it'll be money that will still be on Indiana's cap a year from now, when "expiring contract" will be required to always appear in the same sentence with the words "T.J." and "Ford."

Because unlike two weeks ago when O'Brien switched Ford for Watson as the starter but then changed his mind a few games later (the huge difference in their plus/minus ratio was a major factor), this time the move sounds permanent.

"He responded like the man I know he is," Pacers coach Jim O'Brien said of Ford, who has now lost jobs or been given up on by Milwaukee, Toronto and Indiana over the five-plus seasons since he was named Naismith Player of the Year at Texas in 2003. "He said, 'Coach, I'll do whatever. You've got to make the decision, and I'll do whatever I need to do to make this a better basketball team.' I have the ultimate respect for him, and I really like T.J. a lot, but sometimes you have to make decisions that impact people you like."

jerrod · Post #22 » by **jerrod** » Mon Jan 4, 2010 2:58 pm

EastSideBucksFan wrote:
Newz wrote:I thought he got caught with weed, not coke... When did the cocaine thing happen?

They found crack pipes in his condo when he lived on the east side. He said they weren't his, but a friend of his. Somehow it all got swept under the rug.

crack is for poor people

Post #23 » by **paulpressey25** » Mon Jan 4, 2010 3:00 pm

That article is brutal.

I liked this one:

He is so certain to exercise that option, we'll go ahead at this early date and name him to the starting five on the 2010-11 dead money team.

Michael Redd and TJ Ford. Your starting guards on the all Dead Money Team.

europa · Post #24 » by **europa** » Mon Jan 4, 2010 3:06 pm

At least Redd's still has some fight and heart left in him. I'm not sure T.J. has either one right now.

For what it's worth, I think it's highly irresponsible to say Ford has a cocaine problem. By all accounts, the incident that occurred with the Bucks was a one-time only deal and people close to the Bucks also have said Terry Porter played a key role in getting T.J. to shape up. There hasn't been a hint of a drug issue with him since then.

trwi7 · Post #25 » by **trwi7** » Mon Jan 4, 2010 7:49 pm

midranger wrote:And approximately 7 million of that goes up his nose.

ZING!

LUKE23 · Post #26 » by **LUKE23** » Mon Jan 4, 2010 7:52 pm

Murphy/Ford for Redd/Elson.

emunney · Post #27 » by **emunney** » Mon Jan 4, 2010 7:52 pm

It's funny because no coke head could have 8 million dollars and budget only 7 for coke. It's an all or nothing deal.

europa · Post #28 » by **europa** » Mon Jan 4, 2010 7:57 pm

LUKE23 wrote:Murphy/Ford for Redd/Elson.

I'd do that just to see midranger's head explode at the site of T.J. in a Bucks' uniform again. He'd be like the guy from "Scanners."

Newz · Post #29 » by **Newz** » Mon Jan 4, 2010 7:58 pm

Jesus... Keep TJ Ford away from our team. The last thing we need is Jennings to become a coke head.

Post #30 » by **paulpressey25** » Mon Jan 4, 2010 7:59 pm

The problem with that Indy deal is that you bring Ford into the circle with Jennings. Not sure I want that at this point.

LUKE23 · Post #31 » by **LUKE23** » Mon Jan 4, 2010 8:00 pm

I'd do that just to see midranger's head explode at the site of T.J. in a Bucks' uniform again. He'd be like the guy from "Scanners."

I'd do it regardless. Ford is dead money, but Murphy can actually help us. Gives us another rebounder and defender. Don't know if Indy does it, depends how desperate they are to get rid of TJ. But I'd rather have $8.5M of dead money and a $11M guy that can help us over $18M in dead money.

Newz · Post #32 » by **Newz** » Mon Jan 4, 2010 8:01 pm

LUKE23 wrote:
I'd do that just to see midranger's head explode at the site of T.J. in a Bucks' uniform again. He'd be like the guy from "Scanners."

I'd do it regardless. Ford is dead money, but Murphy can actually help us. Gives us another rebounder and defender. Don't know if Indy does it, depends how desperate they are to get rid of TJ. But I'd rather have $8.5M of dead money and a $11M guy that can help us over $18M in dead money.

All I am reading is that you think it would be a good idea to bring a guy with a bad attitude and a coke problem into our locker room.

That should be a good influence on Brandon Jennings.

LUKE23 · Post #33 » by **LUKE23** » Mon Jan 4, 2010 8:01 pm

paulpressey25 wrote:The problem with that Indy deal is that you bring Ford into the circle with Jennings. Not sure I want that at this point.

That problem is easily solved by buying all of Lil Wayne's stash and all of Gilbert Arenas' firearms and putting them in TJ's locker. Contract = voided.

europa · Post #34 » by **europa** » Mon Jan 4, 2010 8:01 pm

I'd do it too because it would open the door for a Ridnour trade. And if T.J. could get his head on straight he'd definitely give the Bucks fine depth behind Jennings. If it didn't work out, the Bucks could offer to buy him out next summer.

The fact midranger would lose his mind would be icing on the cake.

REDDzone · Post #35 » by **REDDzone** » Mon Jan 4, 2010 8:02 pm

I love how everyone just knows Ford is a coke head.

REDDzone · Post #36 » by **REDDzone** » Mon Jan 4, 2010 8:03 pm

With that said, TJ sucks.

europa · Post #37 » by **europa** » Mon Jan 4, 2010 8:03 pm

REDDzone wrote:I love how everyone just knows Ford is a coke head.

It's more than a little crazy. Not even the slightest bit of recent evidence to support such a belief. He's playing like s**t this season and deserves to be benched. I don't see anything more to it than that.

LUKE23 · Post #38 » by **LUKE23** » Mon Jan 4, 2010 8:04 pm

Hell, buy out TJ's last year at the full amount and release him. Kohl can view it as trading Redd for Murphy straight up then. That is easily a win trade for us. Spending $18M on Murphy >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> spending $18M on Redd.

jerrod · Post #39 » by **jerrod** » Mon Jan 4, 2010 8:06 pm

guys,

crack, not coke

Newz · Post #40 » by **Newz** » Mon Jan 4, 2010 8:07 pm

jerrod wrote:guys,

crack, not coke

Oh, well that's okay then.

We should bring Bobby Simmons back too. He will bring some toughness and then he can teach Moute how to punch some hookers.