Wiretap via SI - Nets & Pacers revive talks again

cdash · Post #21 » by **cdash** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 1:23 pm

I dont want to defend Bird because I am not a fan of his moves, but he really is in a tough spot with this team. He inherited the guys who are the main problems right now (JO and Tinsley). They are tough to move because not only are they habitually injured, but their contracts arent exactly inviting. On one hand, you want to move on and trade JO and begin the next chapter in Pacers basketball, but on the other, you dont want to trade a star player like him for peanuts. This guy was an MVP candidate and a fixture at the All-Star game as recently as two years ago, and next season if he finally gets his knee in shape (big if), there is no reason to think he couldnt get back to that level. Bird and Paxson (Cleveland) are both in tough spots. Its obvious to everyone that both need to make deals, but both lack the assets to make any deals that make sense. Paxson dug his own grave for the most part, whereas Bird kind of inherited some of his mess.

Post #22 » by **Grang33r** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 4:13 pm

cdash wrote:I dont want to defend Bird because I am not a fan of his moves, but he really is in a tough spot with this team. He inherited the guys who are the main problems right now (JO and Tinsley). They are tough to move because not only are they habitually injured, but their contracts arent exactly inviting. On one hand, you want to move on and trade JO and begin the next chapter in Pacers basketball, but on the other, you dont want to trade a star player like him for peanuts. This guy was an MVP candidate and a fixture at the All-Star game as recently as two years ago, and next season if he finally gets his knee in shape (big if), there is no reason to think he couldnt get back to that level. Bird and Paxson (Cleveland) are both in tough spots. Its obvious to everyone that both need to make deals, but both lack the assets to make any deals that make sense. Paxson dug his own grave for the most part, whereas Bird kind of inherited some of his mess.

Totally agreed. He's coached us to the finals. Then he build one of the best teams in the NBA but the brawl ruined that. I know it's fair to say Bird knows what he's doing. He's in a very tuff spot, trying to fix the image of the team as well as the skill of the team. I think the image may be fixed, now they just need to get a team together who can win.

Post #23 » by **Grang33r** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 4:15 pm

http://www.nba.com/pacers/news/ask_the_pacers_v2.html

Good question by a fan to Larry on pacers.com. Bird says that he blames the bad image more then the poor record for the Pacers woes with fans. I knew that was the case pre-Jackson trade, but now i'd think he'd start to change his stance. I think he knows before draft day, we need to unload Tinsley and O'Neal.

cdash · Post #24 » by **cdash** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 4:24 pm

Tinsley especially. JO actually has a good image within the community.

Post #25 » by **Grang33r** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 4:27 pm

cdash wrote:Tinsley especially. JO actually has a good image within the community.

Yeah i know he does. I mean, people are just sick of him being injured and not helping the team. We need a fresh start and turn the torch to Danny Granger and we need to respect Jermaine O'Neal, thank him for all he's done for us and trade him to a competitive team. That's the way i see it atleast.

xxSnEaKyPxx · Post #26 » by **xxSnEaKyPxx** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 4:34 pm

Grang33r wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

Yeah i know he does. I mean, people are just sick of him being injured and not helping the team. We need a fresh start and turn the torch to Danny Granger and we need to respect Jermaine O'Neal, thank him for all he's done for us and trade him to a competitive team. That's the way i see it atleast.

Well I agree for the most part. I think we need to give JO one more chance though. I think he needs this time off, him at full strength with an improved Granger would be great.

Post #27 » by **Scoot McGroot** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 6:11 pm

Paxson was fired in Cleveland a couple years ago. The man in charge now is Danny Ferry. Paxson is now assisting his brother in Chicago.

cdash · Post #28 » by **cdash** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 6:54 pm

Yeah thats what I meant, I get those two mixed up. They are both equally crappy GMs.

Post #29 » by **Scoot McGroot** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 7:01 pm

Yeah, but kind of in different ways.

I mean, the Cleveland Paxson made too many deals (trading 1st round pick for Jiri Welsch and then letting him go) while the Chicago Paxson is too conservative. You think he'd want to go back in time right now and trade Deng, PJ Brown, and Ben Gordon for KG? I think he'd be willing to give up that package, or some other package for KG back then.

Post #30 » by **Grang33r** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 7:06 pm

cdash wrote:Yeah thats what I meant, I get those two mixed up. They are both equally crappy GMs.

I actually like Danny Ferry. I think he's done a good job in Cleveland despite all the road blocks. Whoever gave Larry Hughes the contract needs to be examined. But he kept calm and let him develop. Same with Varejao. Drafting Gibson was a total steal in round 2 and getting Devin Brown was genius. They don't have many tools to trade and don't have much room to make a trade. ESPN reports they are trying, but they just have nothing to give.

Post #31 » by **Scoot McGroot** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 7:17 pm

Danny Ferry is the one that signed Larry Hughes, Donyell Marshall, and Damon Jones all within a month of each other.

His first month on the job was pretty awful (retrospectively) and has hamstrung the franchise up until now, and will continue to until he can move a couple of those guys or Marshall and Jones expire after next season.