Pacers now have 13th pick in '09 draft...

[artichokes]

Jodie Meeks

Marcus Thornton is better

[chatard5]

Can we trade our first for a first next year, but instead of it being "top" protected (like when a team lottery protects their pick) we can "bottom" protect it to make sure we have to get it in the top 15? That would be awesome, but doesn't exist I am sure. I just don't see anyone helping us much in this draft. I would rather get an extra pick next year and save a couple million or something. Then next year we could possibly combine the picks and move up, or the team we trade it to could suck and we get a high pick! It would be a risk though and they do really well that would kind of suck, but I think #13 in this draft would be like 20 next year.

[count55]

Can we trade our first for a first next year, but instead of it being "top" protected (like when a team lottery protects their pick) we can "bottom" protect it to make sure we have to get it in the top 15? That would be awesome, but doesn't exist I am sure. I just don't see anyone helping us much in this draft. I would rather get an extra pick next year and save a couple million or something. Then next year we could possibly combine the picks and move up, or the team we trade it to could suck and we get a high pick! It would be a risk though and they do really well that would kind of suck, but I think #13 in this draft would be like 20 next year.

Well, there's no way to "bottom" protect it. The other team's pick would be based on their record. If their record ended up getting them the 20th pick, what would we do? "Ummm...no, I'm sorry Mr. Stern. You see, we had this deal, and they promised us a #15 or better, so you'll just have to re-do the order."

Sure, we could trade this year's pick for next year's, but to what end? Will we just hope that next year's class is better? There is talent there to be found, and we need the infusion. The problem with the draft is that everybody thinks that you have to get exactly the player you want. What you need to do with the draft is to get a player that can play and that can help you.

The question isn't whether or not this guy is going to be the long-term answer at either the Point or the Four. (The answer to that is almost certainly no.) What you have to ask is whether the player you get can give you upgrade minutes previously used by Daniels, currently being used by a Graham or Diener, or maybe even shave some minutes off of JJ, Foster, Murph, or Danny, or help fill the void left by Junior. Will he be able to defend? Will he be upgrade the athletic ability of the team? Could he possibly turn into a solid starter or 6th man for this team when it gets better?

There will be players taken 13th and after whose careers will answer yes to most, if not all of those questions. It's Bird's job to find that guy. He seemed to do OK with Rush and Hibbert, and both of those guys were largely considered to be late-teen, early-20 picks last year.