Walsh to Leave Pacers - 3:30 PM Press Conference

[xxSnEaKyPxx]

Whats with all the hating on Bird? Its not his fault all the injuries and broken laws happened. This off season will be his first real chance as far as I'm concerned to change things around. I can't believe how impatient some of ya'll seem to be. I hate losing as much as the next guy, but we were in the playoffs for 10 straight years, we lost a hall of famer, and our All-Star has been hurt much of the past 2 years. Teams have to rebuild, it happens, we can't be a playoff team every single year for the next 10 decades. I hate it when owners fire GM's when a team needs to rebuild, almost like they haven't done their job. Not one team(outside baseball with no cap) can stay on top all the time. It doesn't work that way, I wish it did, but it doesn't. Give Bird a chance, see what he does before blaming him for JO's knee and all the crap with attitudes. He got rid of Jackson like we asked, he got rid of Artest like we asked, it's not like those guys were going to net us anything of value with all their baggage. If you think he was passing up better deals your wrong, he did the best he could. This is his first off season to rebuild as oppose to try and repair. Every thing he has done has been trying to bandage up the wounds, this is his first time to heal them(okay lets be serious, I deserve 10 brownie points for such a cheese ball line). Anyway, just my opinion.

[cdash]

I am so upset. This is terrible. I want to poop in the refrigerator.

[Oomph]

Whats with all the hating on Bird? Its not his fault all the injuries and broken laws happened. This off season will be his first real chance as far as I'm concerned to change things around. I can't believe how impatient some of ya'll seem to be. I hate losing as much as the next guy, but we were in the playoffs for 10 straight years, we lost a hall of famer, and our All-Star has been hurt much of the past 2 years. Teams have to rebuild, it happens, we can't be a playoff team every single year for the next 10 decades. I hate it when owners fire GM's when a team needs to rebuild, almost like they haven't done their job. Not one team(outside baseball with no cap) can stay on top all the time. It doesn't work that way, I wish it did, but it doesn't. Give Bird a chance, see what he does before blaming him for JO's knee and all the crap with attitudes. He got rid of Jackson like we asked, he got rid of Artest like we asked, it's not like those guys were going to net us anything of value with all their baggage. If you think he was passing up better deals your wrong, he did the best he could. This is his first off season to rebuild as oppose to try and repair. Every thing he has done has been trying to bandage up the wounds, this is his first time to heal them(okay lets be serious, I deserve 10 brownie points for such a cheese ball line). Anyway, just my opinion.

Yeah hurray for Larry Legend for sticking with the Pacers ... I'm excited to see what Larry will get us for JO & Tinsley in the offseason.

[count55]

I would've much preferred Donnie regaining control, but I do believe that while Bird's not optimal, it will be better to have one clear voice in the front office.

Also, there will be no more arguing over whether that was really a Donnie move or a Larry move.

If you think back to before the last few weeks, this really seemed to be the most likely scenario (though I expected Donnie to retire, not go to the Knicks). O'Brien is safe for another year, but I'm ok because of what either Mizzou or PR07 said...if you brought in somebody new, it'd be hard to tell how much was him and how much was the roster problems we have.

I think I posted a few weeks ago that I thought Bird and O'Brien were safe...for the year. The Simons will let them run, then the "come to Jesus" will occur at the end of the year. (Though it might happen sooner if Tinsley is on the roster to start training camp.)

I'm not convinced Bird will be a good GM on his own, but I'm also not convinced that he'll be bad. Truth be told, I don't think it's any riskier than going outside. I still believe Kiki Vandeweghe has an iffy resume, and he's one of the top candidates.

[count55]

Just randomly, do you think Walsh leaving gives us any insight into the Simons disposition towards selling the team?

[PacerGuy]

Here are some things to think about when developing your thoughts on why we chose to go in the direction we did:

-Walsh is 67 yr. old! How much longer does he want to do this? How long can he remain "sharp" & be able to put in the hrs as the #1 guy again? If his heart is leaning toward NY, why keep him here?
-Walsh in on a "hand-shake" yr-by-yr contract that is up after this yr, while Bird still has 2 yrs remaining after t/y. No "dead money" keeping Larry. Besides, is this not what the plan was suppose to be all along?
-It is almost impossible to blame Bird any more then it is Walsh for the past 2 yrs, as the "combo" leadership was a cluster-f**k. (Remember of late, Walsh was the one responsible for Tinsley & his contract, hiring Zeek, & traded for Ron-Ron - who despite talent was a known "nut-case" - Not Larry!).
-W/ JO & Bird both having 2 yrs left on contracts after t/y, JO's fate (sucess/ trade value) will dictate Birds fate - given their "relationship", that's kinda ironic don't you think?
-After 2 yrs, we should have a better cap situation, as JO will be up & all the long term contracts (Dun/Murph/Tin) w/ 1 yr left, the Pacers would be attractive to a new GM to step into if Bird doesn't work out (or for the Simon's, a good time to sell w/ no big payroll on the books!).
-As count alluded to, despite the blame he is getting for our issues of late, the franchise is likely more attractive (valuable) w/ Larry Bird attached to it then w/o him.
--------------------
In summery: (barring any huge issues) this is a 2 yr. venture!!!
After that, we will know how Bird uses JO's value, & what that gives us. If things are not better by then, Bird is gone, & the team is 1 yr from having true cap flexibility (barring a Bird F-up w/ JO). W/ LeBron (D-Wade & Bosh) up the same yr JO is up, JO should have big-time value as a HUGE expiring for a team courting "the King". This may likely be our best chance, if Bird can live w/ JO just 1 more yr (yr & 1/2).
2010 - That is when it will all come together, or will explode entirely.

[Scoot McGroot]

Great post there PG. Lots of good thoughts to chew on there.

[bruno sundov]

BTW,

Walsh signing with the Knicks per ESPN NEWS, its a breaking news report

3 years, 15 mil..for those who care.

What is Donnie going to do with isiah's broken ass? That is what i want to know. Good luck to you guys also.

[VinnyTheMick]

-= original quote snipped =-



What is Donnie going to do with isiah's broken ass? That is what i want to know. Good luck to you guys also.

He will get Dolan to pay Isiah to go away.

[ahartleyvu]

Yeah, no way does Walsh keep Isiah.

[Boneman2]

Donnie will have a great luxury he's never had. The Knicks have shown, in the past, they don't mind buying players out. They also don't mind bringing in top f/a's (Lebron ?) . I think Donnie will be able to make the necessary, drastic changes they need because his flexibility is much greater. Next year they'll look different, but in two years they'll really be on the right track. Marbury's expiring deal is a great thing to have, regardless, if they hold onto it, and let it expire, they can make a serious run at Lebron.

[floppymoose]

First off, congrats to Walsh on a fine career with the Pacers, and I'm sorry for all the Pacer fans who will miss him.

Next, is it really true that he is going to the Knicks??? The tap has a story denying this. Is there anything official?

[fdefore]

No, Donnie refuses to comment on his future beyond the season. My guess is that it is official just denying it (possibly for tampering reasons?). The timing is screwy just to announce he's leaving -- there are other moves at play.

[cdash]

See, I dont think the timing is screwy at all. There are tons and tons of reports of him having these "secretive" meetings with James Dolan, and it makes sense to address it. Its late in the season, teams are either building for the future or making their playoff push, and everyone who cares knew Walsh had a meeting with the Simons.

[mizzoupacers]

Walsh leaving is a bit like Reggie retiring...in many ways Walsh IS the Pacers. This is a sad day. But probably an inevitable one.

I wish he weren't going to the Knicks. IMO his biggest weakness here was managing the payroll, a chronic problem dating back at least as far as the awful contracts offered to Jalen Rose and Austin Croshere. But with the Knicks, money is no object--it's like the Yankees in baseball, they can spend whatever they want. And they're going to have bajillions of dollars in expiring contracts available over the next few seasons. Wouldn't surprise me to see Walsh turn those expiring contracts into a contending team fairly quickly.

[joew8302]

I thought it was Bird that was extremely high on Croshere after the finals. I realize Walsh had the final say, but Bird really pushed for Austin to get that contract.

[count55]

Don't forget that we were basically matching (or slightly beating) the offers that Toronto was rumored to be making for Croshere.

Plus, both Rose and JO were considered consensus max players at the time they were signed.

[Boneman2]

Let's face it, the Croshere contract was horrid. I would've let him go for nothing, and this isn't no hindsight. He got paid because he played good for six games against the Lakers. Dunleavy is everything we wanted Cro to be.

[count55]

I'm not questioning what your view was at the time, but to indicate that the prevailing opinion among Pacer fans and media at the time of the Croshere (and other two) signings wasn't that it was the right thing to do would be inaccurate.

Clearly, it turned out to be a bad decision, but it wasn't Isiah-Thomas-in-New-York bad, where everybody from day one was saying "What the **** is this clown thinking?"

[joew8302]

Yeah, looking back in retrospect it was bad. I remember liking the signing when it was originally done, so I can see where count is coming from.