TJ Ford, to move or not to move.

8305 · Post #21 » by **8305** » Wed Sep 2, 2009 12:41 pm

tbabyy924 wrote:I really wouldn't be surprised if Earl Watson supplants him as the starter about mid-way through the season.

Agree, its happened everyplace else he's played.

Wizop · Post #22 » by **Wizop** » Wed Sep 2, 2009 7:08 pm

how about mid-way through training camp? I don't think TJ is going to be annointed the starter. after all, he didn't finish last year as the starter. I think we'll make him earn the position. if he does, we'll be happy to have him.

8305 · Post #23 » by **8305** » Wed Sep 2, 2009 9:07 pm

Wizop wrote:how about mid-way through training camp? I don't think TJ is going to be annointed the starter. after all, he didn't finish last year as the starter. I think we'll make him earn the position. if he does, we'll be happy to have him.

Don't think anyone would classify Earl Watson any more than a journeyman caliber point guard. But, he's been around long enough and is competent to the point that he will keep TJ honest. TJ will have to be in shape, bend to the system or he could find himself coming off the bench. Last year even when he was demoted there were lots of minutes still available to him because JJ was needed so much at the 2. This year if he loses the starting job there will be a very real price to pay because Watson will only get minutes as a pg.

To bad the Pacers weren't able to do this with Jamal. There were too many seasons where there was no one to push him and when given that circumstance he would routinely report out of shape and probably not always offer the level of cooperation the coach would have preferred.
Argueably Jamal's best year came when there were two alternatives (Anthony Johnson and Kenny Anderson). There was a stretch that year when he was #3 and getting no time at all.

Dennis P · Post #24 » by **Dennis P** » Fri Sep 4, 2009 1:04 am

Ford is not the right PG for OBrien his system requires ball movement. TJ needs the ball in his hands to be effective. IMO I would get rid of OBrien and let TJ be the PG he is.

xxSnEaKyPxx · Post #25 » by **xxSnEaKyPxx** » Fri Sep 4, 2009 1:31 am

I'm not sure how we could, but if there is anyway we could land Raymond Felton we should go for it. The problem is, Ford won't get us Felton and isn't a Larry Brown type player, but I think Felton would blossom into a star with us.

Post #26 » by **Gremz** » Fri Sep 4, 2009 3:36 am

DGrangeRx33 wrote:I'm not sure how we could, but if there is anyway we could land Raymond Felton we should go for it. The problem is, Ford won't get us Felton and isn't a Larry Brown type player, but I think Felton would blossom into a star with us.

Perhaps there's a 3 way deal in there somewhere? You're usually good for such ideas.

8305 · Post #27 » by **8305** » Sat Sep 5, 2009 3:44 am

Dennis P wrote:Ford is not the right PG for OBrien his system requires ball movement. TJ needs the ball in his hands to be effective. IMO I would get rid of OBrien and let TJ be the PG he is.

I agree that Tj is probably not the right pg for O'Brien's system. But TJ is not the caliber player you fire a coach over. I also think a system that emphisizes ball movement plays to the strength of other more important players, noteably Granger, Dunleavy, Rush and Hansbrough.

Dennis P · Post #28 » by **Dennis P** » Sat Sep 5, 2009 3:04 pm

8305 wrote:
Dennis P wrote:Ford is not the right PG for OBrien his system requires ball movement. TJ needs the ball in his hands to be effective. IMO I would get rid of OBrien and let TJ be the PG he is.

I agree that Tj is probably not the right pg for O'Brien's system. But TJ is not the caliber player you fire a coach over. I also think a system that emphisizes ball movement plays to the strength of other more important players, noteably Granger, Dunleavy, Rush and Hansbrough.

These are ugly times in Indy when those guys are considered important players....

To me you guys have spot up shooters TJ is the type of guy who gets into the lane and kicks it out to the open man. With guys like Murphy, Dunleavy, Granger etc. TJ would be a great facilitator of the offense. Let's face it O'Brien is far from a hall of fame coach dumping him would probably make your team more fluid overall.

Post #29 » by **Miller4ever** » Sat Sep 5, 2009 4:35 pm

TJ is the type of guy who gets into the lane, jumps, and turns it over half the time. He also takes those fadeaways which are pretty accurate, but the shot selection is poor.

And Rush is legitimate in our eyes. Tyler's the rook, but Rush sustained a great April last year with 53% shooting, 50% from beyond the arc, while averaging 16.3 and playing above-average NBA defense (great rookie defense).

Dennis P · Post #30 » by **Dennis P** » Sat Sep 5, 2009 5:38 pm

Miller4ever wrote:TJ is the type of guy who gets into the lane, jumps, and turns it over half the time. He also takes those fadeaways which are pretty accurate, but the shot selection is poor.

And Rush is legitimate in our eyes. Tyler's the rook, but Rush sustained a great April last year with 53% shooting, 50% from beyond the arc, while averaging 16.3 and playing above-average NBA defense (great rookie defense).

I don't know... a system that uses spacing is where TJ will thrive; one would think Indy would thrive in that sort of scenario as well.

Rush is okay but a foundation/cornerstone he is not. Anyway we'll just have to see what TJ will do this year, one year under his belt and reigns to run the franchise. This is a make or break year for him for SURE.

Post #31 » by **PR07** » Sat Sep 5, 2009 8:48 pm

Not to move. I doubt you're going to get anyone that's better at this stage of the offseason. Plus, he only has two more years on his deal, so he's not a cap burden at all.

cdash · Post #32 » by **cdash** » Sat Sep 5, 2009 10:17 pm

Keep him.

Post #33 » by **Gremz** » Sun Sep 6, 2009 1:37 am

cdash wrote:Keep him.

Welcome back.

EdmontonBaller · Post #34 » by **EdmontonBaller** » Tue Sep 8, 2009 9:01 pm

are you kidding tj ford is sick, he has the ability to become a all star, and he hit like 4 game winners which equals 4 more wins for your team hahahaha

spudmonkey31 · Post #35 » by **spudmonkey31** » Wed Sep 9, 2009 11:26 am

The dude was playin banged up for a lot of the season. If you want to see him traded for a non productive season then we might as well see mike off while we are at it. I see potential in TJ. Just needs to stay healthy

Kuq_e_Zi91 · Post #36 » by **Kuq_e_Zi91** » Wed Sep 9, 2009 12:03 pm

spudmonkey31 wrote:The dude was playin banged up for a lot of the season. If you want to see him traded for a non productive season then we might as well see mike off while we are at it. I see potential in TJ. Just needs to stay healthy

TJ played in 74 games. For someone with his injury history, I'd consider 74 games a gift. Health was the least of his problems.

spudmonkey31 · Post #37 » by **spudmonkey31** » Wed Sep 9, 2009 12:46 pm

Yeah thats right he PLAYED 74 games. He didnt SIT OUT 20-30 of those games as he is a battled through them. We are you all so down on a dude thats tryin to help

TJFordisGod · Post #38 » by **TJFordisGod** » Wed Sep 9, 2009 6:02 pm

EdmontonBaller wrote:are you kidding tj ford is sick, he has the ability to become an all star, and he hit like 4 game winners which equals 4 more wins for your team hahahaha

+1

Lionel Messi · Post #39 » by **Lionel Messi** » Fri Sep 25, 2009 2:25 am

earl watson sucks. inconsistent shooter and passer. He is a solid defender but he gets shot happy at times.

If tj ford is replaced with him then it's either because watson became about twice as good as he usually is or tj is playing absolutely horrible.

Post #40 » by **Gremz** » Fri Sep 25, 2009 4:36 am

Lionel Messi wrote:earl watson sucks. inconsistent shooter and passer. He is a solid defender but he gets shot happy at times.

If tj ford is replaced with him then it's either because watson became about twice as good as he usually is or tj is playing absolutely horrible.

Watson isn't here to "replace" TJ, he is here to provide a great second option, and if needed, someone to step up as a starter if need be. He's only on a one year deal, so he's not currently in the long term plans.