Very interesting Bird interview.

[xxSnEaKyPxx]

http://www.nba.com/pacers/news/draft_080625.html

A lot of it we already knew, but this narrows it down a lot. It sounds as if there is no way that we will take a project player or that we will take a PG. I'm really thinking that Hibbert will be one of our picks, but will Bird take him at 11 or hope he makes it to 17? Sounds like he will take the best player available no matter what the position - and since we now have a starting PG/SG/SF this makes more sense to me. I think Bird will take a PF/C but its nice to know if a good talent falls to us we will take it. Sounds like we aren't done dealing either, so this should be interesting.

[Scoot McGroot]

Interesting read. I do like the idea of a Roy Hibbert at the #17 spot. We're going to need some defensive toughness in our frontcourt with JO gone and Hibbert is the one guy in this draft that really brings that immediately.

I'm even more torn on the #11 pick though. I think we'll just go best player available, regardless of position. I think, ultimately, we may end up taking a project at #11 like Anthony Randolph so long as we feel confident we could get Hibbert at #17 to play now. We need to fill our JO hole long-term. Randolph could do that, and I think we'll look to do something like that.


I would still like to move Diogu for a late 1st round pick if we could, though. If we could dump his salary for a trade exception, get more breathing room against the luxury tax for next year, and get a guy like Douglas-Roberts, Batum, or Chalmers, I think we'd come out ahead.

[joew8302]

I personally would love to get Randolph provided Westbrook and Gordon are off the board. I think this trade gives us the ability to let him wait and mature.

[ahartleyvu]

I think Westbrook is a great backup to Ford. However, I'm not sure I see him dropping.

[Wizop]

I don't see that getting Ford negates picking Augustine at 11 or Hill at 41 if we think they are eventual starters.

[Grang33r]

We need to fix the front court in this draft. Way too many solid players to be focusing on getting a PG, even if Westbrook drops. He dissed us and didn't even workout. There is several players i'd take, Gordon, or Lee, but Gordon won't survive til 11th and Lee is too high at 17.

I think, if a Chris Douglas-Roberts or Courtney Lee drop to like 26th or so pick, i think Bird will look into dealing our 2nd rounder in some kind of package to move up and grab them. I think it's more of a wait and see and i don't see him over paying for it because so far we're having a great draft day (assuming we get who we want with 11 & 17). I'm specifically looking at that 28th pick which could be had in that Williams/Lowry deal i think will happen. However, i don't think we will grab that pick just for the sake of getting a pick, but if CDR or Lee are there, i have no doubt in my mind we'd get it.